Shepherd’s Pie
The UK favorite gets a healthy update by using 100% beef, instead of a combination of beef and lamb, and a five-way vegetable mix.
Ingredients
8 lb. + 12 oz. ground beef
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
4 lb. + 12 oz. frozen mixed vegetables
2 qt. beef stock
1 cup Worcestershire sauce
¾ cup + 2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup water
2 tsp. paprika
2 tbsp. dried parsley
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper
8 ¼ lb. mashed potatoes
Steps
1. Brown beef and drain off fat. Add onions, celery and garlic to ground beef. Saute for five minutes.
2. Mix in frozen mixed vegetables and set aside.
3. Bring beef stock and Worcestershire sauce to a boil. Make slurry with cornstarch and water. Whisk mixture into beef stock to make gravy.
4. Add 1 teaspoon paprika to gravy. Add parsley, salt and pepper to gravy.
5. Mix gravy with ground beef.
6. Pour 3 quarts plus 3 cups beef mixture into 2-inch full steam table pans.
7. Using piping bag with large fluted tip, pipe 4 pounds plus 2 ounces mashed potatoes in rosettes over meat mixture. Sprinkle remaining paprika over potatoes.
8. Bake in convection oven at 350°F on low for 30 minutes.
Recipe by Austin Independent School District, Austin, Texas