Shepherd's pie is savory St. Patrick’s Day dish

Everyone has “corned beef and cabbage” on the brain come St. Patrick’s Day. But another flavorful dish might appeal to a greater number of people with Irish roots.
Shepherd’s Pie is a savory dish made of minced lamb that originated in England but also made the jump to Ireland, where it became a popular comfort food. While Shepherd’s Pie can be made with freshly cooked ground meat, it also is a fine way to use leftovers from a previous meal. Shepherd’s Pie is commonly mistaken for Cottage Pie, which is very similar, yet tends to use beef as the meat of choice.
Many families have their own ancestral recipes for Shepherd’s Pie, but for those looking to cook the dish for the first time, try “Shepherd’s Pie,” courtesy of Alton Brown, which appeared in Season 12 of his hit show “Good Eats.”
SHEPHERD’S PIE
1½ pounds russet potatoes
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ pounds ground lamb
1¾ tsp. kosher salt
¾ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth
2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup half-and-half
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 large egg yolk
½ cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
½ cup English peas, fresh or frozen
1. Heat oven to 400 F.
2. Peel potatoes and cut them into ½-inch dice. Put them in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Uncover, lower heat to maintain a simmer, and cook until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Heat oil in an 11-inch saute pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to take on color, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and stir to combine. Add meat, salt and pepper, and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 3 minutes.
4. Sprinkle meat with the flour, toss to coat, and continue to cook for another minute. Add tomato paste, broth, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary and thyme, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to low, cover and simmer until the sauce is thickened slightly, 10 to 12 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, combine the half-and-half and butter in a microwave-safe container and microwave until warmed through, about 35 seconds.
6. Drain potatoes and return them to the saucepan. Mash potatoes then add warmed half-and-half mixture, as well as salt and pepper. Mash to smoothness, then stir in egg yolk.
7. Add corn and peas to the meat mixture and spread evenly in a 7-by-11-inch glass baking dish.
Top with mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling over, and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
Place on a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or just until potatoes begin to brown. Remove to a cooking rack and let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Yield: 8 servings