Easy Shepherd’s Pie

Here’s a hearty version of everyone’s favorite – shepherd’s pie. I made mine with ground beef, but you could substitute ground lamb for a more authentic flavor. One recipe makes four good-sized servings, but you can easily double this recipe and cook it in a 9x13 baking pan. The topping uses cauliflower instead of potatoes for the mash. Try it!

For mash:

1 head of cauliflower

¼ onion, minced

coconut milk or chicken broth

To make cauliflower mash:

Cut cauliflower into florets. Add the florets and onion to a pan of boiling water. Cook until cauliflower is just fork-tender. Drain. Add a little bit of the coconut milk or chicken broth and mash or blend in a food processor or mixer. Season with salt and pepper.

For filling:

1 ½  lbs. lean ground beef

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, diced

1 15 oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ can beef broth

3 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

(Dice the following 3 vegetables into large pieces)

½ red bell pepper

1 to 1-1/2 zucchini

4 oz. mushrooms, sliced

Sea salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Brown the ground beef in a skillet, along with the garlic and onion. Drain and return to pan. Add the can of tomatoes, the Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, and tomato paste. Cook for several minutes or until thickened. Turn off heat.

Spoon the meat mixture into a 3-quart casserole dish with a slotted spoon. Reserve the remaining sauce.

In another skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté the carrots, bell pepper, and zucchini until just tender. Spread the vegetables over the meat.

Add remaining olive oil to pan. Add the mushrooms. Saute for several minutes. Spoon in some or the remaining sauce from your meat mixture. Cook until mushrooms are tender and the liquid has evaporated. Pour the mushrooms over the top of the other vegetables. Season casserole with salt and pepper.

Spread the mashed cauliflower over the top of the casserole, covering completely. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the sides of the cauliflower begin to brown and mixture is bubbly. Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes before serving. Spoon onto serving dishes.