We went on a ski trip with friends back in January, and my friend Lindsey made us a modified Shepherds Pie that fit my paleo diet criteria. It was definitely memorable, so I decided to attempt to recreate it. There are not many meals at our house that everyone likes equally, but this was a hit all around. The flavors are a little bit of a nod to sloppy joes. If you are lucky enough to have some leftover, it is even better the next day.
INGREDIENTS
Meat Filling
1 teaspoon of coconut oil
1 1/2 pounds of ground sirloin
1 diced yellow onion
1 diced green pepper
2 carrots, peeled, quartered and diced (you don't want big chunks)
3 stalks of celery, halved and diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon of italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of cumin
1 6 ounce can of tomato paste
1 15 ounce can of petite diced tomatoes
Sweet Potato Topping
2 orange sweet potatoes
2 Japanese yams (white sweet potatoes) *If you can't find white sweet potatoes, you can substitute russet potatoes, or use 4 orange sweet potatoes
4 tablespoons of ghee or coconut oil
1/2 cup chicken stock or bone broth
1 teaspoon of chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
METHOD
1. Peel and cube the potatoes, place them in a microwave safe dish with a lid and 2 Tablespoons of water and steam until fork tender
2. Heat a large skillet on medium high heat with the coconut oil and add the ground sirloin
3. While the meat starts to brown, chop the onion, pepper, garlic, carrot and celery
4. Add the veggies to the skillet and continue to cook until the meat is brown and the veggies are soft
5. Add the spices and tomato paste. Let this cook for a couple of minutes. It will start to caramelize on the bottom of your pan. Don't turn down the heat! This is what you want!
6. Add the can of tomatoes, and scrape all of the brown bits off of the bottom of the skillet and turn the heat on low simmer
7. Mash the steamed sweet potatoes and add the ghee, broth and spices
8. Pour the meat mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 pan, top with the mashed sweet potatoes, and add another sprinkle of chipotle chili powder to the top
9. Place under the broiler about 5 minutes until the potatoes get a little crispy on top
10. Let the entire dish rest at least 5-10 minutes to set, and then serve
