Shepherds Pie With Zucchini Recipes

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender and easily crushed with tongs, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Place the half-and-half and butter into a microwave-safe container and heat in the microwave until warmed through, about 35 seconds. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes and then add the half and half, butter, salt and pepper and continue to mash until smooth. Stir in the yolk until well combined.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the canola oil into a 12-inch saute pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to take on color, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Add the lamb, salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 3 minutes. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and toss to coat, continuing to cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire, rosemary, thyme, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.
• Add the corn and peas to the lamb mixture and spread evenly into an 11 by 7-inch glass baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and smooth with a rubber spatula. Place on a parchment lined half sheet pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. Remove to a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• In a large skillet set over high heat, heat 1 tablespoon of oil until very hot. Add the lamb, season it lightly with salt and pepper and cook, stirring and breaking up the chunks of meat, until lightly browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the lamb from the skillet, drain and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the zucchini in half, lengthwise, and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh from its center, leaving "boats" with sides that are about 1/3 of an inch thick. Place the boats in a large roasting pan and set aside. Dice the zucchini flesh and set it aside.
• Return the skillet in which the lamb has cooked to medium-high heat and add the remaining tablespoon of oil, the diced zucchini flesh, onions, garlic, thyme, coriander and cinnamon. Cook until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and cook until all the liquid has evaporated. Add the lamb and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Sprinkle the zucchini boats with salt and divide the lamb mixture between the boats, packing it gently in and mounding slightly if necessary. Cover the top of each boat with a layer of mashed potatoes and dust with bread crumbs. Pour the chicken stock into the roasting pan, being careful not to wet the tops of the zucchini. Bake until the boats are soft and the potatoes are browned on top, about 40 minutes. Remove from the pan and serve.

Steps:

• Prepare the topping: Put the potatoes and turnips in a large pot and cover with cold water; season with salt. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 25 minutes; drain, reserving the pot.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 10 minutes.Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat; add the beef to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 4 minutes. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, thyme and tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until incorporated, about 3 minutes.
• Stir the flour into the vegetables until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, Worcestershire sauce, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook until slightly thickened, about 3 more minutes. Stir in the parsley.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Finish the topping: Combine the butter and milk in the reserved pot and cook over medium heat until the butter is melted. Return the potatoes and turnips to the pot and mash with a potato masher or wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in the parmesan and chives and season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer the filling to a 2 1/2-quart baking dish and cover with the topping, spreading evenly. Bake until the topping is golden, about 35 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.