Cottage Pie

I'm always getting asked "What's the difference between Shepard's Pie and Cottage Pie?" It's the meat, in Cottage you use ground beef and in Shepard's you use ground or small chunks of lamb. How to remember....the Shepard's herd sheep not cows.  😉

This is a hearty and complete supper - dinner and it's fairly quick and easy to make.  It's delicious especially when served with a thick slice of home made Brown Soda Bread and a knob of butter. **I have the Traditional Irish Soda Bread recipe listed on here.** Sometimes I add sliced mushrooms and mash parsnips into the potatoes, and instead of sliced onions I'll use Pearl, this time I didn't do any of that, but you can and it's just as delicious.  I usually make this during the fall and winter months, my family loves it.  This one I had made and  brought over to my oldest daughter's house for her and the grand kids due to her working late at her hair salon on Friday evenings.  I like to help her out a little bit when I can, it's nice to sit down and share a meal with her and the kids.

I used dry herbs due to it being late in the year, you can use fresh if you like.  I do when I can find them. All of my name-brand food items are a suggestion because I like them, if you don't have them just use your own brands.

What You Will Need:
Heavy Skillet **I used my non-stick one this time**
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Grater hand or boxed
1-Large Pot
1-Medium Pot
1-Large Casserole Dish
1-Small Bowl
1-Large Spoon or Spatula
Oven Mitts
Colander
Hand Mixer or Potato Masher
Large Wooden Spoon for stirring
Whisk
Tasting Spoon

**Pre-heat your oven to 375-Degrees Fahrenheit**

Ingredients:
2-3 Pounds Lean Ground Beef
3-Carrots, peeled, cut into coins
2-Cups of frozen Peas thawed **or Fresh if you have them**
4-Medium Yukon Gold Potatoes, washed, peeled and cut into quarters
1-Stick of Butter sliced **I like Kerry Gold if I didn't make my own**
1-Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-Large Onion, peeled and sliced
1/3-Cup of All Purpose White Flour
1/2-Teaspoon Course Sea Salt **I grind mine, you can use regular Salt**
1/2-Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
2-Teaspoons Dried Rosemary
1-Teaspoon Thyme
1-Teaspoon Ground Smoked Paprika
1/2-Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
3-Tablespoons of Tomato Ketchup
3-Garlic Cloves, peeled and minced
1/2-Cup of Cream Cheese
1-7-ounce block of Kerry Gold Dubliner Cheese, Shredded **I freeze mine so it's easier to shred**
1-Egg Yolk
1-Cup Whole Milk Plus 2-Tablespoons
2-Cups Beef Stock
2-Teaspoons Dry Parsley
Water for boiling potatoes, peas and carrots

Directions:
Add water to your medium and large pots.  Put the carrots and peas into the medium one and the potatoes into the large.  Add a pinch of salt to each and boil until carrots and potatoes are fork tender.

While your vegetables are cooking, place your skillet onto the stove top, set the temperature to medium heat.  Add in the Extra Virgin Olive Oil and 2-Tablespoons of butter, stir in the onions and cook until translucent, then add in the ground beef. While the beef is cooking, break the meat up into little chunks-crumbles using your wooden spoon. Cook until the meat is browned for about 10-minutes or so.

Add the flour to the meat and onions, stir until blended, then add salt, pepper, rosemary, paprika, cinnamon, ketchup, garlic, and thyme.  Cook and stir all ingredients for about 5-minutes. Add in the beef stock, scrape up the brown bits that are at the bottom of the skillet and continue to stir. Reduce the heat to medium-low, bring to a slow simmer, keep stirring until nice and thick, usually about another 5-minutes.

Remove the skillet from the stove top and place on a heat resistant surface or another burner that is cooled.  Add the meat mixture into your casserole dish and set aside.  Drain the peas and carrots separately from the potatoes once fork tender.  Add the peas and carrots to the meat mixture, spread on top until completely covered you want to layer this dish.  Now set aside.

Take the well drained potatoes and place them back into the pot you were using, add in the cream cheese, the remaining butter, 3/4's of the grated Dubliner Cheese, salt, pepper, and milk. Whip everything with a hand mixer or use a hand potato masher until lumps are gone and potatoes are smooth and then set aside.

In the small bowl, whisk the egg yolk and the 2-Tablespoons of milk, add to the mashed potatoes and mix well.  **You can add less or more milk, salt and pepper, it's to your own taste. Taste first because you can always add, you can't remove once it's been added. ** I normally whip the potatoes adding in the milk a little at a time until I get the consistency I am looking for. Some people like a more lumpy stiff mashed potato, I don't. Add the potatoes on top of the beef mixture, spread until the meat mixture is completely covered.  Sprinkle the rest of the shredded cheese, parsley and paprika over top of the potatoes.

Place the casserole dish into the pre-heated oven and bake for 30-minutes or so, or until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling up around the edges.

Put on your oven mitts and remove the casserole dish from the oven, place onto a heat resistant surface or place onto pot holders or a towel, etc.,..  Let stand for about 10-minutes so it can all set up, it is very hot so be careful.  Serve and eat.