For the Potato Topping, use 2 cups of leftover mashed potatoes or the following recipe:
3 Idaho Baking potatoes
1-2 T Grass Fed Butter
Sea Salt and Pepper
2 Eggs
Instructions:
If using leftover mashed potatoes, whisk the eggs and fold into mashed potatoes and set aside.
If making fresh mashed potatoes….
Start a pot of water to boil. Add ½ teaspoon of salt. Peel skin off potatoes then rinse and chop. Add potatoes to boiling water. Boil until soft. When done, reserve about a cup of the water for later. Drain off the rest of the water. Add butter, salt and pepper to taste. Using an electric mixer or by hand, beat the potatoes and add potato water until you get them to your desired consistency. Let them cool, whisk the eggs and fold into to mashed potatoes and set aside.
For the meat filling:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup colored bell pepper (red, orange or yellow), minced or finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, minced or finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds ground lamb**
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons a light whole grain or unbleached flour
3 teaspoons tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons dried, powdered savory
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried chopped thyme leaves
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
Smoked paprika
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the oil into a 12-inch sauté pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion, peppers, mushrooms and celery and sauté just until the onions 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. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and toss to coat, continuing to cook for another minute. Combine tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire, savory, thyme, bay leaf and add to meat mixture. 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, peas and carrots 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. Sprinkle with smoked paprika.
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.
**any ground meat can be used but definitely try it with lamb first!