Shepherd's Pie

The cold wintry days are not yet over. Here's a recipe to take off the chill and comfort your soul. You can make this with either beef or venison but note the use of chicken broth, not beef broth, for this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground meat
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 T. butter
1 T. flour
1 pint chicken broth (or one 14 oz. can of chicken, not beef, broth)
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 cup frozen peas or broccoli
1/2 teaspoon savory, dried, and/or 1/2 teaspoon marjoram, dried
1 tsp. Kosher or coarse salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. red wine, not a salty cooking wine but a wine you might have with the meal
1 cup shredded cheese, cheddar or a mix of colby and Monterey Jack works well

mashed potatoes to serve 4 to 6 people
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Slowly brown the meat to just rare, letting the fat melt out. Add the chopped garlic. Drain off the fat. (You're going to trade the beef fat for butter for a better flavor and texture.) Add the butter and flour to the meat. Allow to brown slightly before stirring to give the nutty flavor to the flour that makes gravy so good. Stir and brown a little more.

Stir in chicken broth, shredded carrots, peas, savory, Worcestershire, red wine, salt and pepper.

Bring to simmer. Continue to stir frequently until gravy thickens.

If you're making this ahead, wait until serving day and then warm the dish in the oven prior to adding the mashed potatoes. Mound the mashed potatoes up on top of the meat/gravy mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, just until cheese melts.

Serve with hot bread and an assortment of pickles or chutney. Serves 4 to 6 people.