I’ve always loved shepherd’s pie. There’s something so satisfying and comforting about it, maybe because every time I eat it, I picture old timey shepherds coming home in the evening after a long day of keeping track of animals, sitting down in
front of a roaring fire, and warming up with a big, hearty bowl of shepherd’s pie. (Surely I can’t be the only person who envisions this, right?)
Anyway, even though I have considerable affection for this dish in its original form, I started thinking to myself ‘well wouldn’t it be even better with a little spice added to it? Just to give it that little extra oomph on cold winter nights.’ And from that train of thought, this recipe was born.
One of my favorite cuisines is Indian food, due in large part to the array of spices used. The turmeric, the garam masala, the cumin seeds, the red pepper – all combine to produce a complex, warming aroma, which is exactly what I was going for in this dish. So instead of adding the traditional salt, pepper and herbs to flavor the meat filling, I decided to use a combination of Indian spices, along with garlic, ginger, and green chilies. The result was exactly what I was hoping for – slightly spicy, with an earthy, warming effect. Perfect.
To balance out the spice, I added a few sweeter elements as well. I caramelized the onions before incorporating them into the meat mixture, and instead of the usual mashed potato topping, I used sliced sweet potatoes, which I also caramelized before adding them to the pie. The result? A truly mouthwatering twist on this tried-and-true classic.
Ingredients
- 2 sweet potatoes
- 1 large onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 green chiles
- 1 inch fresh ginger
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1/2 tsp. turmeric
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1/2 tsp. garam masala
- 1 tsp. cumin
- Dash of nutmeg
- Salt (to taste)
- Pepper (to taste)
- 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- cilantro
- 4 tbsp. butter
Instructions
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Slice the onion into thin strips. Melt two tablespoons of butter in a pan and add the onion. Sprinkle with the sugar (just the granulated sugar, not the brown sugar) and stir to combine.
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Continue to cook the onions over medium-low heat until reduced in size and golden-brown. (About 20 minutes or so.)
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While the onion is caramelizing, finely chop the garlic, the ginger, and the chiles.
A couple of notes about this step:
(a) Most of the recipes I've come across call for grated ginger rather than chopped. I prefer to just chop it; it's easier, and as long as you chop it very fine, there isn't a noticeable difference in the food.
(b) This is very important! Do NOT touch your face during or after chopping the chiles until you wash your hands thoroughly. I have made this mistake before, and it does not end well. Don't be like me.
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Once the onions are caramelized, add the garlic, ginger, and chiles and stir to combine. Allow the ingredients to cook together for a few minutes.
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Add the ground beef, breaking apart with a spoon. Then add the turmeric, paprika, garam masala, cumin seeds, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and cook until the beef is almost cooked through. Remove from heat.
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Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash and peel the sweet potatoes and slice them into circles approximately 1/4 inch thick.
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Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a second pan over medium heat. Spread the potato slices in a layer in the pan.
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Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and half of the brown sugar.
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Allow the potatoes to cook until they begin to brown. (About 3 minutes.) Flip the potatoes and sprinkle with the remaining brown sugar.
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Continue to cook the potatoes, flipping as necessary, until they have lovely golden brown areas of caramelization. Remove from heat.
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Butter a square 9 x 9 pan (or you can use non-stick cooking spray, it's easier and works just as well.) Transfer the meat into the pan and spread into an even layer.
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Begin to layer the sweet potato slices over the meat layer, with the slices overlapping slightly.
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Pop in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
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Immediately upon removing from the oven, sprinkle the pie with torn cilantro and enjoy!
