Mr. Foodie Makes Shepherd's Pie

The perfect recipe for the perfect St. Patrick's Day meal.

Q. I am having a St. Pat’s Day party for my somewhat
pretentious friends. I am a pretty good cook. What should I prepare?

A. Make shepherd’s pie to sop up all that Guinness. A bar in New York called Connolly’s served this to Mr. Foodie during his hardscrabble intern days.

First, make about 1.5 lbs mashed potatoes. While doing that, cook 1 lb ground beef in crumbles. Let both dishes cool.
In a large sauté pan, add 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 chopped onion. Let it sweat on medium-low heat for 4 minutes. Add two sliced carrots. Stir in 4 tablespoons flour. Cook until slightly browned. Add 1 pint of beef stock and some parsley and thyme. Stir. Bring to a boil; let it reduce for 5 minutes before adding the meat and stirring. Then dump the mixture in a casserole dish. Top with mashed potatoes. Bake in a 350ºF oven for about 30 minutes. For extra yummy, grate Irish cheese on top and let cook for the final 10 minutes.

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