Shepherd’s pie is my way of turning two Thanksgiving leftover dishes into one beautiful, delicious meal. We always have excess mashed potatoes and turkey and this is a great way to give them a second (or third in the case of the turkey) life.
To start, I make a brunoise, which is a blend of same-sized and shaped diced leeks, turnips, carrots. Tomatoes and shredded leftover turkey are also added to complete the mixture.
Layered over the turkey brunoise is a generous helping of fluffy mashed potatoes. A sprinkle of Dubliner cheese seals the dish. Finally, shepherd’s pie is baked until golden. Voilà!! I actually prefer this to the original roast turkey. It’s got such an intense flavor and a wonderful contrast of textures and colors. It may be called shepherd’s pie, but it is a dish fit for a king.
1. Info for Thanksgiving Leftovers: Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
- Cook Time: unavailable
- Total Time: unavailable
- Servings: 10
- Calories: unavailable
2. Ingredients for Thanksgiving Leftovers: Shepherd’s Pie Recipe
- 6 cups leftover mashed potatoes
- 1-½ teaspoons salt
- ½ cup heavy cream (or milk)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 fresh sage leaf, finely chopped
- 1 clove, ground into fine powder
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 celery stalks, peeled and finely diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
- 1 turnip, peeled and finely diced
- 1 (4.5-ounce) tube tomato paste
- 1 (14-ounce) can chopped fire-roasted tomatoes
- 2 cups shredded roasted turkey (or roasted chicken)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1/3 cup Dubliner cheese, shaved
3. Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Brush a shallow casserole dish with olive oil.
- Warm the mashed potatoes. Add just enough heavy cream until you reach a slightly thinner consistency.
- Heat the oil in a pot. Add the onions and cook until golden brown. Increase the heat and add the garlic. Cook until fragrant. Add the sage, clove, nutmeg and paprika. Once the paste is fragrant, decrease the heat and add the carrots, celery and turnip. Cook for about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add both the tomato paste and canned chopped tomatoes to the brunoise. Wait for the mixture to reach a full boil, then immediately turn the heat down to a gentle simmer. Add the shredded turkey. Cover with a lid and cook for about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Check seasoning.
- Spread a layer of shredded turkey and tomatoes in the casserole dish. Cover with mashed potatoes. Finish by sprinkling Dubliner cheese.
- Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and then broil for about 2-3 minutes to get a nice golden top.
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes.
- Serve warm.
- Bon appétit!