Cajun Shepherd's Pie
Submitted by jtrawick
Cajun shepherd’s pie with a spicy beef and pork meatloaf base, julienned zucchini and squash, and creamy buttery mashed potatoes browned on top. Louisiana comfort food at its finest.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
45 minREADY
75 minThis ain’t your grandma’s cottage pie, cher.
Cajun shepherd’s pie takes the classic British comfort dish and gives it a full bayou makeover. The base is a seasoned beef and pork meatloaf spiced with cayenne, cumin, thyme, and three kinds of pepper, bound with eggs and breadcrumbs.
Onions, celery, bell pepper (the holy trinity!), garlic, Worcestershire, and Tabasco get sauteed and mixed right into the meat for flavor that runs all the way through.
After the meatloaf bakes to a golden brown, julienned zucchini, yellow squash, carrots, and onions get sauteed in the pan drippings and piled on top.
Then comes a thick, velvety layer of buttery mashed potatoes made with a full stick of butter and evaporated milk.
A final blast of high heat browns that potato cap until it’s golden and slightly crispy on the peaks.
Served with a drizzle of very hot Cajun sauce, this is the kind of one-pan supper that makes you forget about everything else on the table.
Chef Tips
- The julienne cut on the vegetables is important. Those thin strips cook fast and create a distinct layer between the meat and potatoes rather than disappearing into mush.
- Use only the skin side of the squash peelings for the julienne, about ⅛ inch thick. This gives you strips with color on one side and tender flesh on the other.
- Beat those mashed potatoes until they’re velvety smooth. A metal whisk works, but an electric mixer with a paddle attachment gets you there faster.
- Save the meat drippings for sauteing the vegetables. That rendered fat carries all the Cajun seasoning flavor into the veggie layer.
Ingredients
Directions
NOTE: To julienne squashes, cut peelings ⅛ inch thick and cut these into strips ⅛ inch wide and 2 inches long; use only strips that have skin on one surface.
Cut carrots and onions into similar strips.
In a 13×9-inch ungreased baking pan, combine the beef and pork.
Mix in the eggs and bread crumbs by hand until thoroughly mixed.
Set aside.
In a 1-quart saucepan, combine 3 tablespoons of the butter, the onions, celery, bell peppers, garlic, Worcestershire, Tabasco and meat seasoning mix.
Sauté over high heat about 5 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping the pan bottom well.
Remove from heat and cool.
Add the sautéed vegetable mixture and ¼ cup of the milk to the meat and mix well by hand.
Form into a 12×8-inch loaf and center in the pan.
Bake at 450℉ (230℃) until brown on top, about 30 minutes.
Remove from oven; pour off drippings, reserve 2½ tablespoons.
Set meat and drippings aside.
Meanwhile, boil the potatoes until fork tender; drain, reserving about 1 cup of the water.
Place the potatoes, while still hot, in a large mixing bowl with the remaining 1 stick butter, ½ cup milk, the salt and white pepper.
Stir with a wooden spoon until broken up, then beat with a metal whisk (or electric mixer with a paddle) until creamy and velvety smooth.
(NOTE: Mix in some of the reserved potato water if potatoes are not creamy enough.)
In a large skillet (preferably non-stick) combine the reserved drippings with the carrots, onions and vegetable seasoning mix; sauté over high heat 1½ minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the zucchini and yellow squash and continue sautéing until vegetables are noticeably brighter in color, about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat.
Mound undrained vegetables on top of the meat loaf, away from the edges.
Layer the mashed potatoes evenly over the top of the vegetables and top edges of the meat, using all the potatoes.
Bake at 525 degrees F until brown on top, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Serve immediately with cajun sauce.
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