Allergy Friendly Shepherd’s Pie

This has been such a cold year that I have been making lots of soups, stews and pies to keep us warm. One of my favorite Irish recipes is for Shepherd's Pie. In this recipe, I love the combination of the meat and the Worcestershire sauce with a hint of tomatoes and Dijon for the filling. Add a touch of Parmesan cheese to the mashed potato topping for a slightly different taste that is not too overpowering. Delish!

So with St. Patrick's Day, I thought it would be nice to include this recipe instead of the traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage. This recipe is free of dairy, eggs, and nuts.

    I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best.  - Oscar Wilde

Allergy Friendly Shepherd's Pie

Potato Mixture:

1 ½ lbs. Russet Potatoes

¼ C Rice milk

2 Oz. Vegan Margarine

¾ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. pepper

Meat Filling:

1 tsp. Olive Oil

1 ½  Pounds Ground Beef

2 Cloves Garlic, Diced

2 T  Worcestershire Sauce

2 T Tomato Paste

1/2 T Dijon mustard

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 C Cubed Carrot

1 C Frozen Peas

1 ½ C Diced Onions

1 tsp. Dried Thyme

¼ C Dairy-free Parmesan cheese

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place a large pot of water on the stove; bring to a boil. While it is heating up, skin the potatoes and cut into 1 inch pieces. Add the potatoes to boiling water and simmer for about 15 minutes, until they are tender. Drain potatoes and place back into pot. Mash them with a masher or the back of a large spoon. Add rice milk and vegan butter to potatoes and mix until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

In the meantime, heat a pan with oil. Add carrots, peas, onions and thyme. Cook for 5-6 minutes until they are tender. Set aside. In the same pan, add 1 tsp. olive oil and heat pan. Add the meat and chopped garlic and cook for 5-8 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste and Dijon mustard and cook for another 5 minutes until well browned.

Separate meat from fat and place the meat on the bottom of a casserole dish. Add the vegetable to the meat layer and then add the mashed potato mixture. Spread the potatoes down with the back of a spoon so that it covers the top of the casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the cover, sprinkle with the vegan Parmesan cheese and bake another 10 minutes until the casserole if heated through.