
By Michele L.


For potatoes
- 4 large russet potatoes – peeled and chopped into ½ inch pieces
- ½ cup butter
- ½ to 1c half and half
- 1 + ½ cup shredded Irish white cheddar
- 2 egg yolks
- Salt to taste
For filling
- 1 lb ground lamb (or beef)
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 Small onion – small dice
- 2 Medium carrots – small dice
- 2 Cloves garlic – minced
- 2 Tsp dried rosemary
- 2 Tbsp flour
- ½ cup dark beer (such as Guinness)
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 C frozen baby peas, thawed
- Black pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp Chives – chopped.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Add chopped potatoes to large stock pot and fill with cold water.
- Bring to boil and cook until fork tender. Drain in colander, return to pot off heat, and add butter.
- While potatoes are boiling, brown ground lamb on medium/high in large skillet (preferably cast iron.) Season with 1 tbsp salt. When meat is brown, remove from skillet but leave fat in the pan.
- Add oil to skillet and sauté onion and carrots on medium/high until slightly brown but not completely tender, approximately 10 minutes. Add garlic and rosemary and sauté for two more minutes.
- Return meat to the pan and sprinkle on flour. Stir until flour is incorporated and forms a slight paste, cooking for two minutes.
- Pour in beer and chicken broth. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer until the sauce is thickened, approximately 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in peas, Worcestershire, and pepper, **NOTE** if your sauté pan is not oven safe, transfer to casserole dish
- Heat half in half in microwave for 30 sec to 1 minute. Mash potatoes, slowly adding half and half until they reach your desired consistency. (keep them on the thick side). Stir in cheddar, egg yolk, and salt.
- Spread potatoes over meat mixture all the way to the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup cheddar.
- Bake for 30 minutes (with sheet pan underneath) until potatoes are brown. Rest for 15 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with chives.
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