Smoky Turkey Shepherd's Pie Recipe

Dewey decided (was forced) to make dinner the other night & this is the recipe he picked out of Rachel Ray’s “365:No Repeats” cookbook. We all give it 2 thumbs up (even Evan loved it) so it is definitely worth a try.

Smoky Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
by Rachel Ray

3 large Idaho potatoes, peeled & cubed
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1/4 pound turkey bacon
1 pkg (about 1 1/3 lbs) ground turkey
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
Coarse black pepper
2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
3 celery ribs, from the heart, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, cored seeded & chopped
2 cups frozen peas
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock or broth
1 cup sour cream (I used lite)
1 large egg, beaten
3 Tbsp butter
10 to 12 fresh chives, chopped or snipped

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, salt it, and cook the potatoes while you make the turkey filling.

Heat a deep, large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the EVOO to the skillet, then add the bacon and brown it up. Drain off the excess fat. Add the turkey to the pan & break it up with a wooden spoon. Season the turkey with the smoked paprika, salt pepper & thyme. When the turkey is browned, add the onions, carrots & celery. Season the veggies with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the red bell peppers and peas & cook for another two minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add the stock and combine. Stir in the 1/2 cup of sour cream and simmer the mixture over low heat.

Preheat the broiler to high.

When the potatoes are tender (10 to 12 minutes), stir a ladle of the cooking water in to the beaten egg, then drain the potatoes. Return the potatoes to the warm pot to dry them out a little. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of sour cream, the butter & salt & pepper. Smash the potatoes, mashing in the beaten, tempered egg. If the potatoes are too stiff, mix in a splash of milk.

Pour the turkey mixture into a medium casserole dish. Top with the smashed potatoes & spread evenly. Place the casserole 5 inches from the hot broiler. Broil until the potatoes are golden at the edges. Garnish the casserole with the chives & a sprinkle of smoked paprika.

Serves 4

Recipe Notes: Again, we really liked this. We skipped the garnish. If this dish only serves four, those must be 4 very hungry people. We’ve had at least 4 servings out of this & 1/4 of it is still left.

Don’t forget to see what else is cooking this weekend over at Shan’s!