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Idea comes from 1000 Foods to Eat Before You Die, pg. 24, recipe is my own

            Strictly speaking, shepherd’s pie involves mutton or lamb. If ground beef is used, as is often the case, it is technically cottage pie. Technicalities aside, the term shepherd’s pie is widely used for either. The important thing is that the ground meat and vegetable filling is baked under a thick layer of mashed potatoes. Whenever it’s dreary, snowing flakes the size of your palm, or 0 degrees outside, either is a great home-cooked dinner.

            The ingredients are simple enough. As for why what is clearly a casserole is called a pie, the answer has to do with grain shortages in 18^th Century Britain. Stick with me, I promise the explanation will be brief. At the time, population was rising rapidly. So were agricultural yields, but not as quickly. This meant higher prices for bread and other flour-based products, the essential staple for most of the population.

            Fortunately, residents of the British Isles accepted the potato earlier than most Europeans. They still preferred grain, but potatoes provided some protection from bad harvests and rising food prices, and became increasingly important during the 18^th Century. Most sources suggest that shepherd’s and cottage pie originated then. Cooking a meat filling in a pastry crust had long been popular. As a cost-saving measure, Britons began to ditch the pastry, top the filling with mashed potatoes, and call it a pie. These new “pies” were easy to make, stretched pricey meat with the cheapest foodstuff available, and tasted good.

            Then came the 1790s. The grain harvests of 1794 and 1795 were low, leading to widespread hunger and unrest. Nervous because of the recent French Revolution, Britain’s upper classes decided to voluntarily reduce their consumption of flour, particularly refined white flour. While this would have only been a drop on the bucket in terms of actual grain saved, it was an important symbolic gesture. Even the royal family got in on the action. Not wanting to give up their beloved pies, well-off Britons took the shepherd’s/cottage pie idea and fancied it up, baking the meat and potato mix in ceramic dishes designed to look like elaborately molded pie crusts.

            The popularity of the mashed potato pies continued long after the grain shortage was over. During the Victorian Era, recipes were widespread in the cookbooks targeted toward comfortably off but not wealthy women. At the time, it was common to buy a large piece of meat for a big Sunday roast dinner, then use the leftovers in other dishes for the rest of the week. Since raw meat could not safely be stored in the days before refrigeration, and daily trips to the butcher were a hassle, these recipes utilized leftover cooked meat, typically mutton or beef.

            As one poem put it, “hot on Sunday, cold on Monday, hashed on Tuesday, minced on Wednesday, curried Thursday, broth on Friday, cottage pie Saturday,” was a way to reuse and repurpose leftovers. This seems like an extreme example for several reasons, including the size of a roast needed to last for an entire week, and more importantly, keeping it edible without refrigeration FOR SIX DAYS. Even when cooked, that seems like a tall order, especially during the summer. Why not visit the butcher twice a week, and have more variety with beef for 3 – 4 days, and mutton for the other 3 – 4?

            Today beef is more common for shepherd’s pie, and the meat usually starts out raw. While I enjoy repurposing leftovers, using raw meat allows the beef or lamb fat to flavor the gravy, which is why I don’t drain it in this recipe. This can be made right in the skillet with the meat and vegetables. Just add a bit of flour to form a roux with the fat, then some broth to make a gravy.

            Like many popular British dishes, shepherd’s pie falls firmly in the comfort food category. It can even be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated, though this will mean a longer baking time. Leftovers are equally delicious. Just don’t store them for days at room temperature.

Ingredients:

• About 1.5 pounds ground chuck (or lamb/mutton)
• 8 ounces carrots (about 3 large ones), sliced, with larger pieces halved
• 1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
• Several sprigs parsley, minced
• Worcestershire sauce and black pepper to taste
• Several dried mushrooms, broken into small pieces (optional)
• 8 oz frozen peas (optional)
• ¼ cup flour
• About 2 cups beef broth (I use reduced sodium broth from a carton. It’s convenient, and regular often makes dishes too salty)
• About 3 pounds potatoes, peeled if desired (I typically peel russets but not red or yellow potatoes)
• Milk and butter for mashing potatoes
• Cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Cut the potatoes into large chunks and bring to a boil in salted water. Cook until easily pierced with a fork, about 10 – 15 minutes. Drain, return to pot, and mash with butter, milk, and salt to taste. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, place the ground meat in a large skillet over medium heat, leaving in one chunk at first. This allows for better browning.
3. Once the meat is browned on the one side, break it up with a spatula or a potato masher and cook, stirring occasionally, until only a little pink remains. Don’t drain the fat, because it flavors the gravy.
4. Add the onions, carrots, parsley, and, if desired, peas and mushrooms to the skillet. Season with several dashes or Worcestershire sauce and plenty of freshly-ground black pepper. Cook until vegetables have softened and begun to cook down.
5. Sprinkle flour over meat and vegetable mix and stir to combine. Add the broth, a little at a time, until a gravy forms. Taste for salt, pepper, and Worcestershire, adding more if desired.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 (degrees Fahrenheit) if eating right away. Spread the meat mixture evenly over the bottom of a 13 x 9 baking pan. Top with the mashed potatoes, smoothing to the edges with a spatula. Top with the cheese.
7. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. If made ahead and chilled, this will take 40 – 50 minutes.
8. Let the shepherd’s pie rest for a few minutes before enjoying.

            More baked and stewed comfort will be coming over the next few months, so be sure to subscribe.