Tuna Shepherds Pie Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 and spray an 8x8" or 2 quart baking dish well with non-stick spray.
• Using a colander, run the peas and carrots under hot water until separated and somewhat thawed; set aside.
• In a bowl, flake the tuna well.
• Add the mushrooms (if using) and the peas& carrots and toss together.
• Add the mayonnaise and mix gently, but well; you don't want this too mayonnaisy; just enough to be able to bind the ingredients together.
• Add salt and pepper to taste (you may not need too much salt as the tuna is salty to begin with).
• Pat the tuna mixture into pan firmly and top evenly with the mashed potatoes.
• With the back of a soup spoon, make little waves over the top of the potatoes by pressing the back of the spoon into the potatoes to make an indentation and then twisting up to make a little rising swirl; by doing this you get little peaks all over the top which brown nicely as it bakes and makes a great looking topping-- if the potatoes are hard to spread, warm them up a bit.
• Sprinkle the top with paprika and bake for about 35 minutes, or until heated through, filling is bubbly around the edges, and the top is nicely golden brown.
• Slice into squares and serve.
• Note: The potatoes should be made with some butter or margarine as it makes for a better texture and helps it brown better.

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil over high heat. Add potatoes to boiling water and boil for about 15 to 20 minutes, until soft; a knife should go in with almost no resistance.
• In a small saucepan or a microwave oven, heat 6 tablespoons of the butter and milk together until butter melts. Drain potatoes well and return to pot. Using a masher or a ricer, mash hot potatoes until smooth. Mix in the hot butter mixture, just until blended. Stir in the Cheddar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large oven-safe skillet with high sides or an enameled cast-iron braiser (at least 2 1/2-quart capacity) over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the onions are translucent and the carrots are just tender, about 10 minutes. Add the beef and the lamb and cook, breaking the meat up with a spoon, until it is no longer pink. (At this point, you can drain off some of the excess fat if you like.) Season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper.
• Add the tomato paste and stir, cooking until it is well combined, another 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and cook for 1 minute. Add the beef stock and cook, stirring, until the liquid has thickened slightly. Stir in the parsley and remove the thyme and rosemary stems. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Top the meat mixture with dollops of the mashed potatoes then spread them out over the top. (Or transfer the meat mixture to a 3-quart casserole dish and spread into an even layer, and top with potatoes.) Transfer to the oven and, if the mixture is at the top edges of your pan, set a foil-lined baking sheet underneath the pan to catch any drips. Bake the pie until the potatoes have begun to brown and the edges are bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.