Tags: For the Colder Months Healthy Kids Hidden Veggies Little Foodies Weekday Meals
My favorite part of home schooling the boys is discovering new ways to make learning fun for them. We’ve done school while picnicking outside, cozied up in front of the fireplace, at the park, or on the road. We’re not big fans of sitting at a desk or table for long periods of time…unless there’s crafting involved.
In History this year, our topics are broken up by continents—focusing on various countries within those continents. While I was preparing lessons for the year, I racked my brain for a way to make these lessons more interactive. Knowing my boys—their likes and interests—I knew the perfect way to learn about these counties was through food. One of our first countries to study was Ireland, and I knew the perfect dish for it: Shepherd’s Pie.
My shepherd’s pie recipe is a combination of a couple different recipes—my mom’s and a few I found online. My boys wanted to do the thing properly, so we used ground lamb. However, I would NOT use ground lamb again in the future. The lamb flavor comes through very strong…especially for someone who doesn’t eat it regularly.
*NOTE: If you’re a lamb fan, use the ground lamb. If you’re not a fan, use ground beef (as I will be doing in the future!)
Enjoy!
I hope this yummy recipe invites numerous conversations about Ireland and its rich history!
SHEPHERD’S PIE with COLCANNON
FOR THE MEAT MIXTURE:
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 lb Ground Meat, lamb or beef
- 1 med onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery sticks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- Splash of Guinness, or red wine
- ½ tsp paprika
- 3 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 fresh rosemary sprig
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup good beef broth
- 1 cup frozen peas
*Optional: Using kitchen twine, tie together the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. This isn’t a necessary step, but it makes removing them later an easier task.
HOW TO:
In a large heavy bottomed pan, heat oil. Add meat and cook until brown, breaking it up into small pieces. Drain most of the grease, leaving about 1 Tbsp remaining in pot.
Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until soft—about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
Pour in beer and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen up any bits stuck to the bottom.
Add the paprika, herbs, salt and pepper (about 1 tsp of each to start) and tomato paste. Stir until tomato paste us incorporated and darkened in color.
Add beef broth and frozen peas. Simmer on low while you prepare the colcannon.
FOR THE COLCANNON:
- 4-5 russet potatoes, cleaned and chopped
- 1 stick butter
- 2-3 cups leeks, cleaned WELL and chopped
- Cream or milk, as needed
- Salt to taste
*I peel my potatoes selectively—only removing the ugly parts—because I like mashed potatoes with skin. This is purely a personal preference. Please feel free to completely peel your potatoes if you like.
HOW TO:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes.
Melt butter in a large skillet over med/high heat. Add leeks and cook until soft.
*I like a little crunch in my leeks, so I don’t let them get too soft, but that’s another personal preference. Cook your leeks to desired texture.
Once your potatoes are cooked through, drain them and pour them back into the pot. Mash them.
Add your butter/leek mixture and stir to combine. If you need more liquid, add cream or milk until desired texture is reached. Taste, and salt your colcannon as needed.
PUTTING YOUR PIE TOGETHER:
Preheat your oven to 400°
Remove the herbs from your meat mixture.
Spread your meat mixture in a 9×13 baking dish.
*The size/shape of the baking dish doesn’t really matter, as long as it’s deep enough to hold both the meat and potato mixtures while still leaving a visible rim around the top.
Carefully spread your potato mixture on top of meat mixture. Make sure you completely cover the meat mixture without pressing down too hard and muddying the two.
Bake your pie for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5-8 minutes.
Enjoy!
