A Brief Trip To Ireland

Sometimes a plan just comes together. Rainy night after a hard day's work, and a near perfect batch of Shepherd's Pie that would make my grandma Faye Kelly smile for sure. Been working on this recipe for a year or more now and it's just about there. New wrinkle tonight was a dusting of home made ciabatta bread crumbs just before the final baking to golden brown finish.

This is what I want to cook daily for my food truck when I finally get out of the technology game. Shepherds Pie and Wisconsin state fair style Brats on alternate days so I don't get bored.

Recipe:

1 tsp olive oil

1lbs of ground lamb

3/4 med onion

6 cloves garlic crushed and sliced

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp sweet paprika

2 tsp fresh rosemary minced

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp Black pepper

1 tbsp ketchup or tomato paste

1 cup water

12 oz of carrots/peas frozen veggies, thawed  (buy one of those bags at the grocery store)

breadcrumbs (make your own from that stale end of a loaf)

The Potatoes 

2 lbs potatoes

3 tbsp butter

a large dollop of sour cream

chives

1  dash cayenne

1/4 cup Dubliner cheese

The how-to

Heat the oil medium hot and toss in the lamb and onion.  Saute' till browned (about 10 mins)

Stir in the flour and then add the garlic, paprika, rosemary, pepper/salt and tomato paste

Let cook another 3-5 mins until fragrant

Add a cup of water or more as needed.  Hot it up and bring to a boil, then lower to med/low to simmer until it thickens -  about 7 mins.

Remove from heat and add the carrot/peas mixture - then put spread it evenly into a baking dish leaving about 2 inches or more of space at the top for your mashed potato topping

Take your mashed potatoes (pat pending -  floury taters mashed with sour cream/butter/chives/dash of cayenne/Dubliner cheese) and spread them evenly on top of the lamb/veggie mix. 

Dust with bread crumbs and put in to a 375 degree oven uncovered for about 30 mins -  till golden brown and bubbling  (see below)

Pair with a Guinness stout or hearty beer of choice.