Shepherd’s Pie with Caramelized Onions & Cheddar Smash

A classic recipe from a classic collection. Published in 2007, Cooking with Shelburne Farms:​​ Food and Stories from Vermont by Melissa Pasanen and Rick Gencarelli (a former head chef at the Inn), is a much-loved cookbook of Farm staff and friends. The book is now sold out (but it isn’t uncommon to find a copy from resellers!), so we’re sharing a favorite recipe featuring our pasture-raised lamb and cheddar, Shepherd’s Pie with Caramelized Onions & Cheddar Smash.

As the original recipe explains, shepherd’s pie is traditionally “made with odds and ends from the Sunday roast, finely chopped” as a way of limiting food waste. No Sunday roast in your weekend plans? No problem, this recipe calls for ground meat, a perfect stand-in. And, the pie comes with an untraditional variation: our farmstead cheddar is sprinkled on top and baked until the mash turns golden and the cheese melts!

Shepherd’s Pie with Caramelized Onions & Cheddar Smash

Cooking with Shelburne Farms, Melissa Pasanen with Rick Gencarelli

Serves 6–8

Ingredients

For the caramelized onions

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 lb onions (about 6 medium)
• 1 tsp coarse kosher salt

For the potato smash

• 3 lb all-purpose potatoes, such as Yukon gold, scrubbed but not peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed with the flat side of a knife
• 1 tsp coarse kosher salt plus more to taste
• ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

For the lamb filling and to finish the pie

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 medium carrots, scrubbed, trimmed, and finely diced (about 1½ cups)
• 2 lb ground lamb
• 1½  tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tsp coarse kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste (ketchup will do in a pinch)
• 2 cups chicken stock, preferably low sodium
• 1 cup (about 3–4 oz) grated cheddar

Method

1. Make the caramelized onions (up to a week ahead): In a large, heavy­ bottomed saute pan or skillet set over medium heat, heat the olive oil until hot. Add the onions to the pan and turn the heat down to medium-low.
2. Sprinkle the onions with the salt and cook, stirring frequently to make sure they brown evenly, for about 30–40 minutes or until they are completely golden brown and soft. You should have about 1 ½–2 cups of onions. Set aside. 
3. Make the smashed potatoes (up to 24 hours ahead): Select a large pot that can accommodate a steamer insert or heatproof colander large enough to hold your potatoes. Fill it with tap water up to the bottom of the steamer insert, add the potatoes and garlic cloves, and sprinkle them with salt. Cover the pot, set it over high heat, and bring the water to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat to maintain an active simmer and steam the potatoes for 25–30 minutes or until they break apart easily when poked with a fork.
5. Remove the potatoes and garlic from the steamer, pour off the hot water, and return the potatoes and garlic to the pot. Cover the potatoes with a clean dish towel and let them dry out for about 5 minutes. (Do not allow the potatoes to cool before mashing or they will get disastrously gummy.) Add the butter to the pot and use a potato masher to smash the potatoes and garlic until blended but not completely smooth. Adjust seasoning to taste. Set aside.
6. Make the meat filling and finish the pie: Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large saute pan or skillet set over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil until hot. Add the diced carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7 minutes until softened.
7. Add the lamb, thyme, and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until the meat is no longer pink. Carefully pour off all the fat and discard.
8. Sprinkle the flour over the lamb and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Then stir in the tomato paste and cook, for 2 minutes longer. Pour in the stock, along with 1 cup of the caramelized onions. Increase the heat slightly and simmer, 2–3 minutes, until the gravy thickened slightly.
9. Spread the lamb into a shallow round or oval 3-quart casserole or a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Spread the potatoes on top. Distribute the remaining caramelized onions over the mashed potatoes, and then sprinkle the cheddar evenly on top. Bake until the top is golden and crusty, about 20 minutes.