Meatloaf is a traditional and satisfying British and Irish meat and vegetable meal topped with creamy mashed potatoes and cooked until bubbly and golden brown. The dish is called Shepherd's Pie, "shepherd's pie" when made with ground lamb.
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes Topping
• Potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks - 1 1/2 pounds
• Milk or cream - 1/2 cup
• Butter - 4 to 6 tablespoons
• Salt and pepper to taste
Ground beef filling
• Oil - 3 tablespoons
• Onion, finely chopped - 1
• Ground lamb or beef - 1 pound
• Tomato paste - 2 tablespoons
• Carrots, sliced - 2
• Peas 1 cup
• Thyme - 1 teaspoon
• cold stock or water - 1 1/2 cups
• Flour - 1/4 cup
• Salt and pepper to taste
Method
1. Preheat oven to 350 ° F. Place potatoes in large saucepan and add large pinch of salt and cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium and continue over low heat until the potatoes are cooked through, about 15 minutes.
2.Drain the potatoes and set aside to steam dry a bit. Then add the pureed milk and mix the milk in. Then add the butter, salt and pepper and continue mashing until smooth. Set aside.
3.Pour the oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, add the ground lamb or beef and sauté, breaking up the large pieces, until the meat is completely cooked. Drain off excess fat, then add the tomato paste and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Lastly, add the carrots, peas, and thyme. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Drain the broth or water and the flour to make a smooth paste. Stir the mixture into the meat and vegetables and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for another 5 minutes to thicken.
5. Spread meat mixture in 3-quart baking dish. Top the meat with mashed potatoes and spread them evenly. Make decorative impressions on the potatoes with the tines of a fork, if desired.
6.Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Place on a grill at the end of 1 to 2 minutes until the potatoes are golden brown very well.
Variations
• Topping Variations: Meatloaf is a great way to use leftover mashed potatoes. Try substituting sweet potatoes for part or all of the potatoes, if you like. Many recipes call for mashing a beaten egg into potatoes. This also gives them structure and helps them brown in the oven. Many other recipes call for sprinkling potatoes with paprika for color. Or top the potatoes with a nice shredded English or Irish Cheddar cheese before baking.
• Stuffing Variations: ground lamb and ground beef are traditional for the pastor and the house pie. However, try using turkey or chicken instead of a low-fat version. Ground pork will be tasty too. For the vegetables, sauté the chopped celery and mushrooms along with the onions, or use a little chopped cabbage, cooked from yesterday's dinner. Meatloaf can be a good excuse for cleaning your vegetable container. For your cake season, mix a little with Worcestershire sauce, a little red wine, or even a nice squirt of curry powder.
• Some versions of meatloaf remove the carrots and peas entirely and serve as a garnish. Boiled cabbage is also a popular dish with meatloaf.