Southern Shepherd’s Pie
Serves: 4 to 6
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups chopped collard greens
  • 1⁄2 cup diced sweet onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1⁄8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1
  • (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1⁄2 cup sherry
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • 3 cups prepared mashed potatoes
  • Garnish: fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a 13x9- inch baking dish with cooking spray.
  2. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes.
  3. Drain excess fat, if necessary. Add flour; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted. Add collards, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste; cook until caramelized and deepened in color, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, sherry, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf; cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Spread mashed potatoes on top to cover.
  4. Bake until hot and bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with thyme leaves, if desired.
Notes
Kitchen Tip: If you choose to make homemade mashed potatoes instead of store- bought mashed potatoes, we suggest using russet, Yukon gold, or Idaho potatoes. Russet is a starchier potato, which will yield light and fluffy mashed potatoes; Yukon gold is a medium-starch potato and will yield denser, creamier mashed potatoes.
Recipe by Paula Deen Magazine at https://pauladeenmagazine.com/southern-shepherds-pie/