Scottish Shepherd’s Pie Recipe – Grandmother Sinclair’s Version

One of the most iconic comfort foods I have ever enjoyed is ‘Shepherd’s Pie’. It is a very common casserole here in Maine and throughout the New England region. It is an all-in-one meal that includes seasoned lamb or beef, vegetables, and mashed potato. From what I understand it is ‘Shepherd’s Pie’ when made with lamb and it is ‘Cottage Pie’ when made with beef. The recipe is very flexible and can be twisted up however one desires. My mom always used creamed corn as the main vegetable along with the ground beef, mashed potato, and spices. I am not a creamed corn type of guy. I prefer my grandmother’s recipe which is the Scottish version. She hailed from the village of Lybster, Caithness, Scotland. I recently made my grandmother Sinclairs version and my Mom enjoyed it immensely. My grammie Sinclair stressed this meal is prepared by using what she has on hand in her pantry and ice box. But, the base is always the same: a meat consisting of lamb or beef, vegetables, and mashed potato. Go ahead and make your tummy happy and try this version!!

*Note: My grandmother never called it ‘Cottage Pie’ so I have not. I am sure her mom/grandmother used lamb and after immigrating to New England the switch was made to beef since lamb was scarce. I always make it with beef for the same reason. Plus, when I do see it in the grocery store, it is quite pricey.

Ingredients:
2-3 tablespoons olive oil (use the oil you have on hand)
1 pound of ground lamb or ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped (I like red onion, the flavor is spot on)
2 large carrots, diced
3 ribs celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
2 tablespoons tomato paste (I use one 6 ounce can)
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or use 3 teaspoons of an Italian dried herb mix)
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup red wine (I do not use so I add another 1/2 cup of beef broth)
1 cup frozen peas (optional and hardly have on hand)

Mashed Potato
2 large russet potatoes, peeled
2 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled (this is my twist, use 3 large russets if not using the sweet potatoes)
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated (optional)
1/4 to 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, finely grated, set aside some for the top (optional)
1/2 cup or less of milk, (I like my mashed potatoes a wee bit stiff so I use less milk)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large cast iron fry pan over medium-high heat, add the ground lamb or beef and cook through. Break it all up with a wooden spoon while cooking. Once it is browned/cooked, add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the carrots, garlic, celery, and tomato paste. Sauté for another 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt, pepper, oregano, parsley, and thyme and stir well. Add Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, and red wine. Stir and bring to a simmer. When the sauce begins to bubble, reduce heat to low, cover the pan with a lid and cook for 4-5 minutes. Add the frozen peas and cook for 4-5 minutes or until peas are cooked. Remove from heat and set aside. I bake my Shepherd’s Pie in the same cast iron pan with which I cooked the meat and veggies . I use a large 12 inch cast iron pan.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Meanwhile, in a large pot of cold salted water add the potatoes and boil until tender. Drain and mash the potatoes with butter, warm milk, salt, and pepper. Add the cheeses.
4. Top the meat/vegetable mixture with the mashed potato and gently spread out evenly. Add more Parmesan cheese to the top. Sometimes I will add grated cheddar cheese on top as well. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown. At the end, I like to use the broiler to get a crispy top which only takes about 5 minutes. Keep your eye on the dish if using the broiler.
5. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes before serving.

*NOTE: You can bake this dish in a 9×9 baking dish or a large casserole. You do not have to use the cheeses. Sometimes I use chopped green beans, diced turnip, or diced parsnips in my vegetable mixture. I have also made ‘Colcannon‘ and used this as my topping and I have used mashed ‘Cauliflower’ as my topping. You can use whatever vegetables combo or topping you desire. Enjoy!!

Cheers, Drew Frederic