Shepherd’s pie is a classic American dish that can be prepared in a variety of different ways, but is traditionally made with either ground lamb or ground beef and mixed with assorted vegetables and topped with mashed potatoes. It’s an allin one casserole that is both hearty and easy to put together.

One of the best things about shepherd’s pie is that the recipe can be altered to suit any taste. For this recipe, I’m using a 50/50 mixture of ground beef and lamb, plus some of my favorite vegetables: baby bella mushrooms, corn, peas, carrots, onions and string beans. The onions pack a powerful flavor, the mushrooms add a little earthiness, and the corn brings a touch of sweet. A tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce provides a bold kick.

Classic shepherd’s Pie

Filling:
1lb ground lamb
1lb ground beef
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup assorted vegetables
1/3 diced onions
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves minced garlic, separated
Salt and pepper to taste

Topping:
5 large potatoes, boiled and mashed
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

First, boil and mash your potatoes, stirring in the butter while the potatoes are still warm. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt and pepper, then set aside.

Next, take a large sautee pan and set it to medium high heat. Add you onions, mushrooms, assorted vegetables,1 tablespoon of butter and one minced garlic clove and sautee until the onions are translucent and soft — about 5 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set them aside.

Take the same pan you used for the vegetables and add your ground beef and ground lamb. Sautee on mediumhigh, breaking up the meat into small pieces as it cooks, until all the meat is brown and cooked through. Add your beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, a clove of minced garlic and some salt and pepper, and simmer on medium for about 7 minutes, or until the beef broth begins to reduce a little.

Now, take your mixed vegetables and add them back to the pan with your meat mixture, and stir well to combine. Once everything is mixed, transfer the mixture to a 9×13 baking dish. Top with the mashed potato mixture, spreading it evenly so that all the meat is covered. If the potatoes are a little too thick, you can whip the potatoes until they are smooth, or add a little bit of milk, if you prefer. Then, bake the pie at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until the mashed potatoes start to brown a little on top. Remove from the oven, serve and enjoy!

ALICIA BANE is Arts and Culture Editor of The Times Record, and a food blogger. Find this recipe and more at eeshaeats.wordpress.com.