Shepherd's Pie

Who would have thought this blog would see three recipes in a row! I've gotten so sick of eating the same old stuff that I've had to actually try cooking, which is a big deal for me. Tonight was Shepherd's Pie, another recipe from the February issue of Martha Stewart Living.

Ingredients:

For the topping:

1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 parsnips (6 ounces), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup plain fat-free yogurt

For the filling:
1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds lean ground turkey
Course salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Tbs. fresh thyme
3/4 tsp. chipotle or regular chili powder
2 Tbs. plus 1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
6 ounces frozen peas (about 1 1/2 cups)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Make the topping:
Place potatoes and parsnips in a medium saucepan, cover with water by 2 inches, and bring to a simmer.
Cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes.
Drain, reserving 2 cups cooking liquid.
Pass potatoes and parsnips through a ricer.
Stir in yogurt and 3/4 tsp. salt. Season with pepper.

Make the filling:
Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
Cook onion, celery, carrots, and garlic stirring, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
Add turkey; cook, breaking up any large pieces, for 5 minutes.
Stir in 1 1/2 tsp. salt, thyme, and chili powder.
Whisk together cornstarch and reserved 2 cups of cooking liquid; add to turkey. Boil for 1 minute.
Stir in peas.
Transfer to a 2-quart round or oval baking dish; top with potatoes.
Bake until bubbling and top is browned, about 35 minutes.

I made some changes to this: I used ground bison instead of turkey because we love the flavor of this meat. I also used a bag of frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, green beans, corn) instead of the chopped carrots and frozen peas. And I didn't have cornstarch, so I used all-purpose flour to thicken the sauce instead. I ended up using only 2 parsnips instead of 3 and needed a 3-quart casserole dish to fit all of the filling instead of the recommended 2-quart.

All of that said, this was SO good! It's definitely something I will make again. I will probably go with just peas and carrots next time (Mike wasn't completely thrilled with the corn, but I liked it) and I may try a mix of ground lamb and bison for a little different flavor. Cornstarch would make the sauce thicker and less soupy. This will be our go-to recipe for mashed potatoes in the future, too. The parsnips aren't overwhelming, but add a nice complement to the potatoes, and the yogurt adds a really nice, rich flavor without using butter.

This is the perfect meal for a cold night and could easily be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated and then put into the oven at dinner time (let it come to room temperature first so you don't crack your casserole with a sudden temperature change.