Irish Sheppard’s Pie
I first did this for an Irish themed potluck at work. Since then I decide it sounds really good every once in a while, and I whip up a batch.
First, you need potatoes! You may use whatever kind you prefer. You can even use boxed if you really want, although fresh homemade will be just that little bit better!
Second, you need veggies! I use corn, peas, carrots, and leek.
You need meats! This is where I deviate from a more traditional Sheppard’s pie. For this version, you will want Ham, Sausage, Bacon, and Beef. You may use a pre-prepared version of the ham, or bake your own. I generally prefer black forest deli ham, or home roasted with maple syrup, cloves, garlic, savory, and molasses to glaze.
Finally, you need cheese! You may alter this per your own preferences, but I like to use a mix of Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, and Muenster.
Meats should be prepared first, and cooked at least medium-rare. The potatoes may be boiled and mashed, the carrots and leek chopped, and the cheese grated if in blocks while your meats are cooking. Mix the meats into the mashed potatoes first. Follow with the vegetables, and the cheese last. This allows the flavor from the meats the best chance to mix into the dish, while keeping your vegetables from mushing and your cheese from melting before you mix.
Bake at 350 in a casserole dish for 20 minutes, to melt cheeses and finish any cooking. If meats and veggies have all been cooked well, you may reduce this to 10 minutes. You may also make this with well cooked meats and veggies in a large stovetop pot, and serve directly from there.
Serve warm, may be refrigerated and reheated. Let anyone not in on the nature of the dish know the pink meat is ham, so they do not freak out!
Ingredients
- 12-16 medium potatoes, if using smaller or larger potatoes simply adjust a little.
- 1/2 lb. ground beef or roast, whichever you want to use.
- 1/2 lb. ham.
- 6 sausage links, or 4 patties... I tend to use links.
- 2 cups corn, off the cob.
- 2 cups peas.
- ~8 medium carrots, diced or chopped into half-rounds.
- 2-3 leeks, chopped thick (~3/4-1 inch sections.)
- 1 cup each of the cheeses mixed in, plus a little extra thrown on top if desired. *If you love cheese, feel free to add more!*
Cooking and playing chess at the same time didn’t work out so well. What movement pattern does Bell Pepper have? And is the cheese on this burger black?