According to English tradition, a cook uses leftover beef or lamb from last night’s roast to make this hearty casserole. For the most basic shepherd’s pie, you sauté some fresh vegetables, add in meat taken off the bone, and then add any jus or gravy to thicken up the filling and make it a little saucy. You put this filling into an oven-safe casserole dish, top it off with mashed potatoes, dot with butter, and bake until the topping gets a nice roasted brown hue.
BUT, to take this leftover casserole pie-dish to a new level, you can also add a little cross-cultural flare.
Filipino spice, gouda cheese, and even Parmesan cheese shavings all work together to pull a simple cottage pie ho-hum dinner into something totally exceptional: Almost Shepherd’s Pie – cottage pie, with spice!
Almost Shepherd’s Pie – Asian Cottage Pie
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1 cup frozen peas (or fresh)
1 cup carrots, finely chopped
3 tsp. Filipino Spice Blend*
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground lamb
sea salt and pepper
1 1/2 cup gouda cheese, roughly grated
1 cup Parmesan cheese, roughly shredded
3 large red potatoes, roughly chopped (about 2 cups)
2 Tbs. butter (or oil, if vegan)
1/4 cup whole milk (or plant-based milk)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
In a large pot, heat the oil.
Sauté the shallot and veggies until soft. Add the Filipino Spice Blend, coating all veggies. Transfer to the bottom of a square baking dish, distributing evenly.
In the same pot, add the beef and lamb. Season with salt and pepper and cook, breaking apart with the back of a spatula. Cook, rendering fat, on medium heat.
Cover and stir occasionally.
Continue cooking until meat is cooked through.
Top the veggie mixture with the grated gouda cheese, and then the meat mixture.
While the meat cooks, boil the potatoes in a large pot, until soft. Drain, reserving about 1/4 cup water.
Mash the potatoes together with the butter (oil) and milk, along with salt and pepper, until smooth and creamy.
Top the meat mixture with the smooth, mashed potatoes.
Finally, sprinkle the Parmesan atop the potato layer.
Bake for 15-25 minutes, until bubbly and golden brown.
Cool for several hours, if not overnight.
Top with freshly ground pepper and slice to serve – then reheat.
Top with any fresh herbs your heart desires, and serve alongside any freshly steamed veggies (or not).
*Filipino Spice Blend:
2 Tbs. sea salt
1 Tbs. paprika
2 tsp. black pepper
1 ½ tsp. onion powder
1 ½ tsp. dried oregano
1 ½ tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. chili powder
Gently stir together all spices. Store in a sealed jar, away from heat or intense light.
