Turkey Shepherd's Pie
Turkey Shepherd's Pie
Turkey Shepherd's Pie

Turkey Shepherd's Pie

David Venable

This dish is a healthy twist on a comfort food classic.

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 medium onions, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 lbs ground turkey
  • 1 whole green pepper, chopped
  • 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 3 Tbsp flour
  • 3/4 cup chicken stock or broth
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 large russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
  • 6 cups water
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 3 Tbsp butter or margarine
  • 1 tsp paprika (optional garnish)

Directions

Preheat the broiler. Lightly grease a 5-qt (or larger) casserole dish.
Cook the potatoes in a large stockpot filled with water until fork tender, approximately 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over high heat in a large skillet. Add the onions and sauté until soft. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the ground turkey, green pepper, carrots, parsley, thyme, and garlic.
Whisk the flour into the chicken stock in a small bowl and pour it into the turkey mixture. Cook and stir until the sauce thickens then transfer the meat mixture to the casserole dish.
Drain the potatoes, add the sour cream, milk, butter, salt, and pepper. Mash the ingredients with a hand-masher or mixer and spoon them over the turkey. Spread them out evenly, all the way to the edges. Broil until the top of the casserole is golden brown. Sprinkle with paprika, if desired, before serving.

Cook's Notes

If mashing the potatoes by hand, use an up and down motion rather than a stirring motion to prevent the potato cells from breaking down into a gummy paste.|When adding milk or cream to mashed potatoes, heat the milk just to the simmer, but do not boil.

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