This is a yet another recipe from our dear friend Jim for a shepherd’s pie that features leftover steak, pot roast, sirloin tip roast, you name it! But don’t let the fact that you don’t have any leftover beef stop you from making this fantastic dish.

Cooking class: The main thing to consider when using cooked beef or cooking some beef right on the spot, is that you should use either a tender piece of cooked steak, or a less expensive piece of beef that has already been tenderized by the cooking method. Like pot roast for example. The reason I mention this is because if you simply fry up a piece of bottom round, for example, then cut it into bite sized pieces, your chances of the beef staying tender after baking for 35 to 40 minutes in a thick liquid is slim. Better to start with an already cooked steak or tenderized piece of meat. If none available, your next option is to grill or fry up a high quality, fairly marbled piece of steak to no more than medium rare. Allow the meat to cool completely, then cut it into bite sized pieces.

But enough about my opinion of the meat you choose to use in this dish. On to the rave reviews this pie garnered from Margo, Mr. C. and me while we stuffed our faces at Jim and Margo’s table a couple of weeks ago.

Wow! I think that was the first word out of my mouth that evening. Quickly followed I’m sure with – please sir, may I have some more? (Sounds familiar, right?) But I meant it. The shepherd’s pie was just amazing. So of course the first thing after dinner I made Jim write down the recipe. (Of course I did.) Because I really wanted to be able to make this dish any old-time I felt like it, and I wanted to share this fabulous recipes with you.

So, last evening, having leftover pot roast in the refrigerator, I prepared Jims’ recipe (only minor changes here and there) and the recipe below is the result.

I have to tell you, this recipe for shepherd’s pie is absolutely scrumptious. Truly the best I have ever tasted. And yes, I can hear you saying “but it isn’t topped with mashed potatoes”. OK, if you must, you can top the pie with mashed potatoes. Just don’t mess with the filling part because it is perfection personified!

Jim, thank you again for this marvelous recipe. Also to you and Margo for being such wonderful people and such dear friends. I don’t know what we did to deserve you, but whatever it was, it must have been spectacular!! 

• 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 med. onion, chopped
• 1 lg. carrot, cut into small dice
• 1 small rutabaga, cut into small dice
• ½ lb. button mushrooms, sliced
• ¼ c. white (dry) vermouth
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp. herbs de Provence (see my recipe below)
• 1 T. chopped fresh parsley
• 2 T. unsalted butter
• 2 T. flour
• 2 c. vegetable stock (can be made with Better Than Bouillon and water)
• 2 tsp. beef flavoring (Better Than Bouillon, straight out of the jar)
• 2-3 c. cubed leftover steak, pot roast, sirloin tip roast, etc.
• ½ c. uncooked frozen petite peas, opt.
• paprika

Heat the olive oil in a large fry pan. Sauté the onion, carrot, and rutabaga until the veggies are starting to get tender. Add the mushrooms; continue cooking until the carrot pieces are completely crisp tender. Deglaze the pan with the vermouth, then add the pepper, herbs de Provence, and parsley.

Add the butter and flour; cook for a good 2 minutes whisking the entire time. Slowly whisk in the vegetable stock and beef flavoring. Allow sauce to thicken stirring continually.  Add the leftover meat. Bring to a boil and adjust seasoning.  (Don’t add too much salt, because the polenta also contains salt.) Stir in the uncooked peas.

Pour into a casserole dish, top with polenta, and sprinkle lightly with paprika. (Leftover polenta works great for this dish.)

Bake the pie in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until the filling is hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and let sit for 8-10 minutes before serving.

CHEDDAR CHEESE POLENTA

• ½ c. whole milk
• 1½ c. chicken stock or water
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• ½ c. finely ground polenta/cornmeal
• 1 T. unsalted butter
• 1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Bring the milk, stock, salt, and pepper to a boil in a covered, medium-sized saucepan. Pour polenta slowly into boiling liquid, whisking constantly until all polenta is stirred in and there are no lumps. Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking often, until polenta starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Polenta mixture should still be slightly loose.

Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes, whisking every 5 to 6 minutes. When polenta is too thick to whisk, stir with a wooden spoon. Polenta is done when the texture is creamy and the individual grains are tender. Turn off heat and gently stir the butter into the polenta then mix in the cheese. Adjust seasoning before topping the Shepherd’s pie.

Note: I made the polenta before I started working on the shepherd’s pie. The polenta happily burbled away while I chopped the veggies for the pie. When I was ready to top the pie, the polenta was already fairly stiff. I merely scraped off portions of the polenta and carefully smeared them all over the top of the beef mixture. Piece of cake.

HERBS DE PROVENCE  

• 1 T. dried savory
• 1 tsp. dried rosemary leaves, semi broken down in a grinder or mortar and pestle
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried marjoram
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried thyme, semi broken down in a grinder or mortar and pestle
• 1 tsp. dried parsley

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Notice there is no lavender in my mix. I do not care for cooking lavender, therefore I leave it out!