Shepherd’s Pie. How often have I returned home from work, tired and eager to splurge on dinner at a nearby restaurant? Although it seems like a treat, at the end of each meal, I often wonder if my instincts were correct. Beyond the good company of family and friends, I remind myself that I love to cook and most often can replicate the dish at home through instinct and memory, and at a fraction of the cost.
The other day, I made the conscious decision not to go out to eat and, instead, opened the fridge and found ingredients that allowed me to create a Shepherd’s pie without going to the store. The dish’s origins date back to the late 19th century and consistently — at least in all recipes that I read — use left-over roasted meat of any kind, adding vegetables and broth, topped with a layer of mashed potatoes, which are all then baked. Sounds easy. It can be made in just over half an hour, start to finish.
I will be honest that for this dish, I do not follow a specific recipe. I tend to use what I have available in the fridge, and this time I hit the jackpot. I sautéed leeks, carrots and green onions in butter, lightly browned a mélange of mushrooms. Finding left over grilled chicken, which I reheated with cream (heavy cream preferably) and caraway seeds, I then covered everything with instant mashed potatoes, topping everything with grated parmesan and breadcrumbs. Voila, the dish only needed to be reheated in the oven until the bottom of the dish bubbles and the top was nicely browned to have one of the most delectable homemade dishes I can think of.
Yet, when looking at the baked dish, I could not resist thinking that its appearance lacked something. Being an architect, I love to improvise when cooking (not a suggestion when one bakes!) and I decided to add something I had never done before. Working quickly so the pie wouldn’t go cold, I sliced some small orange, yellow and red sweet peppers, and added chives which made the dish look fresh, colorful and above all tasty. The warmth of the pie with the cold crisp peppers and chives gave it a new twist that was, may I say, exceptional.
For the recipe, please visit Shepherd’s Pie
For other recipes on pies, tarts and Quiches