Paleo Shepherd's Pie

Its snowing…again. I am freezing and in need of some serious comfort food to ease these winter blues. Good thing I had this prepped in my fridge and could just pop it in the oven because I am not moving from my couch today. Make this for dinner tonight. Eat it wearing your favorite pajamas. Then go sleep off your beefy sweet potato slumber until winter is over.  

Paleo Shepherd's Pie

Serves 6 - 8

Paleo - Grain Free - Gluten Free - Sugar Free

Ingredients

• 2 lbs Bison or Grass Fed Beef or Lamb (or a combo of your choosing)
• 1 Large Onion, finely diced
• 2 Large Carrots, finely diced
• 2 Large Celery Stalks, finely diced
• 1 lb Mushrooms finely diced (white or crimini)
• 2 Tbl Organic Tomato Paste
• 1 Tbl Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 Cup Low Sodium Beef/Chicken/or Veggie Broth
• 2 Tbl Ghee or fat of choice
• 1 tsp Fine Sea Salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• heaping 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 Cups Frozen Peas

Topping

1. 2 Large Sweet Potatoes peeled and roughly chopped into 1" chunks
2. 4 Carrots peeled and roughly chopped into 1" chunks
3. 1 Cup Low Sodium Chicken or Veggie Broth
4. 1 Tbl Olive Oil or Ghee

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425F
2. In a large high sided pot add the chopped sweet potatoes, carrots, 1 cup of broth and place over high heat.
3. Bring to a boil place a cover on top and reduce to medium heat.
4. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the flesh of the vegetables are easily pierced with a knife.
5. Drain the vegetables reserving the excess liquid.
6. Add the ghee and mash or puree in a blender adding some of the cooking liquid to loosen it up.
7. You can add as much liquid as you prefer to achieve the texture you desire.
8. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. In a large heavy bottomed saute pan place it over medium high heat and add the 2 Tbl ghee/fat of choice.
10. When the oil/ghee starts to shimmer add the onions, celery, carrots, salt and pepper.
11. Sautee for 5-7 minutes stirring occasionally until the vegetables start to soften.
12. Add the mushrooms and saute for another 3-4 minutes.
13. Add the tomato paste and stir it into the vegetables and cook for 1 minute to cook some of the raw tomato flavor out. (Its ok if it looks like there is burnt stuff on the bottom of the pan. That is flavor and will get scraped up and incorporated into the sauce later)
14. Add the beef/bison and break it up with the back of a wooden spoon.
15. Sprinkle the garlic powder and cinnamon over the meat and stir well.
16. Cook until it starts to get some color and stir occasionally to cook it through.
17. When the beef is pretty well cooked deglaze with the broth and add the balsamic vinegar.
18. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently to scrape up the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.
19. When the mixture is thick taste for seasoning.
20. Add more salt according to your taste.
21. The frozen peas can be steamed for a few minutes or placed in a small pan and covered with a small amount of broth and brought to a soft simmer then drained.
22. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
23. Pour the meat mixture into a large 6-8 quart casserole dish.
24. Cover with the drained peas.
25. Top with the sweet potato/carrot mash and smooth out to cover the top entirely.
26. *At this point you can wrap it up and store in the fridge and save for another night to reheat in oven
27. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until bubbling