This twist on shepherd’s pie is so irresistible, you’ll never want to go back to the original recipe!
Shepherd’s pie is a traditional dish that originated in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is a savory pie made with minced or ground meat, typically lamb or beef, and topped with mashed potatoes. Other ingredients can include vegetables like onions, carrots, and peas, as well as herbs and spices such as thyme and rosemary. Shepherd’s Pie is typically baked in the oven until the top is browned and crispy. Shepherd’s pie is also known as “cottage pie” in some regions, and the two terms are often used interchangeably, although traditionally cottage pie is made with beef while shepherd’s pie is made with lamb.
I made two changes to this traditional shepherd’s pie. First, I used Johnsonville Irish O’Garlic Sausage. The main reason is my wife and neighbor will not eat lamb. Personally, I like both.
Second, and the one that might stump most is I added Umami. Think of is as an alternative to MSG.
Umami powder is typically made from dried and ground ingredients that are rich in naturally occurring glutamates, which are responsible for the savory umami taste. These ingredients may include:
- Shiitake mushrooms: Dried shiitake mushrooms are a common ingredient in umami powder. They are rich in glutamates, as well as other amino acids and flavor compounds that contribute to umami.
- Kombu: Kombu is a type of dried seaweed that is also rich in glutamates. It is often used in Japanese cuisine to add umami to dishes like dashi broth.
- Bonito flakes: Bonito flakes are dried, smoked, and fermented flakes of skipjack tuna. They are also rich in glutamates and are a common ingredient in Japanese cuisine.
- Soy sauce: Soy sauce is made from fermented soybeans and wheat, and it is a rich source of umami flavor.
These ingredients are typically dried and ground into a fine powder, which can then be used to add umami flavor to a wide range of dishes. Umami powder is often used as a seasoning for meats, vegetables, soups, and sauces, and it can also be used to enhance the flavor of snacks like popcorn and potato chips.
Give this a try on Saint Patrick’s Day or any cold winter evening. You can make this dish, store it in the refrigerator and bake it the next day. I hope you enjoy!
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Shepherd’s pie filling
Step 1 is to saute your onions. I use medium heat and it takes about 4-5 minutes. I added garlic here, but I would wait until step 2.
In step 2 add your sausage and brown the meat. When you are about half way done all your peas and carrots.
Step 3 add your spices, and liquids and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Finish by thickening with corn starch , and add salt and pepper to taste.
Ingredient of the Day- Umami
Umami is one of the five basic tastes, along with sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. It is a Japanese word that translates to “pleasant savory taste.” Umami is often described as a rich, meaty, or savory taste, and is attributed to the presence of glutamate, an amino acid found in many foods such as meat, fish, vegetables (e.g. tomatoes, mushrooms), soy sauce, and fermented products (e.g. cheese). Umami taste is detected by the taste buds on the tongue, and it is said to enhance the overall flavor of food by adding depth and complexity. Umami taste was identified and named in 1908 by a Japanese scientist, Kikunae Ikeda, who isolated glutamate from kelp and found that it had a unique taste that could not be classified as sweet, sour, salty, or bitter.
Potatoes
Step 1 Peeling 5 lbs of potatoes is the most labor intensive part of this dish. I would probably make it more often if I could skip this step.
In step 2 Add your peeled potatoes to clean cold water so then will not brown.
Step 3 coarsely chop you potatoes and place in cold water. Cold water will keep the potatoes from turning brown, but also removes excess starch.
Joke of the Day!
“Why did the carrot break up with the potato? It could not handle the couch-potato lifestyle!”
Shepherd's Pie with Irish O'Garlic Sausage
Equipment
- 1 large pot to boil potatoes
- 13X19 backing dish
- 1 blender
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes
- 5 lbs Russet or Gold Potatoes
- 6 tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup milk or cream
- 1 tbsp garlic salt
Johnsonville Irish O'Garlic Sausage Filling
- 19 oz Johnsonville Irish O'Garlic Sausage Filling or beef or lamb (traditional)
- 16 oz frozen peas and carrots
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 1 tsp whisky optional
- 1 tsp Worchestershire
- ½ tsp rosemary
- 1 tsp sage
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp Umami optional
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups beef stock
- ½ cup water
- 2 tsp corn starch
- 2 tbsp cold water
Instructions
Mashed Potatoes
- Peel the potatoes (the worst part) and place in cold water5 lbs Russet or Gold Potatoes
- Coarsely chop potatoes and put in cold water
- Boil potatoes until tender
- put butter, milk, and garlic in large pot you plan to blend potatoes6 tbsp butter, 1/3 cup milk or cream, 1 tbsp garlic salt
- drain potatoes and put in pot for 5 minutes (this is to melt butter and warm milk)
- Blend or mash potatoes
Johnsonville Irish O'Garlic Sausage Filling
- Pre heat oven to 425 degrees
- Heat up pan with 1 T of oil
- add onions and cook until translucent1 large onion chopped
- add sausage and brown (use spatula to chop into small pieces)19 oz Johnsonville Irish O'Garlic Sausage Filling
- add peas and carrots and continue to brown for 2 minutes16 oz frozen peas and carrots
- add rest of ingredients except corn starch and cold water, and bring to simmer1 clove garlic chopped, 1 tsp whisky, 1 tsp Worchestershire, ½ tsp rosemary, 1 tsp sage, 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp Umami, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 ½ cups beef stock, ½ cup water
- simmer for 10-15 minutes, and add corn starch slurry (mix corn starch with cold water)2 tsp corn starch, 2 tbsp cold water
- simmer until mixture thickens around 2-3 minutes
- place filling in 13X19 baking dish
- place mashed potatoes on top of filling and bake for 25 minutes
- let cool, serve and enjoy!