Scalloped Potato Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
Filling
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
3 large stalks of celery, diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups (12 fl. oz.) chicken stock
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons (18 grams) high-quality all-purpose gluten-free flour (any kind will do)
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
Topping
2 pounds medium-sized red-skin potatoes, washed and dried well
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted
Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease a 4-quart baking dish and set it aside. In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery, and cook until all the vegetables are soft and the onion and celery are translucent (about 7 minutes). Add the stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and flour, stirring to combine well after each addition. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat, then uncover and allow to continue to cook and reduce.
In a separate pan, saute the ground beef in the remaining tablespoon of oil until browned. Set the pan aside. Cut the potatoes in cross-section in pieces about 1/8 inch thick. Blot the slices with a paper towel to remove any surface moisture.
Once the vegetable mixture is reduced by 1/4, add the browned ground beef and stir to combine. Transfer the whole mixture to the prepared baking dish, and spread into an even layer. Place the sliced potatoes over the top of the casserole dish, overlapping one on the other, in concentric circles (see photo). Brush all the exposed tops of the potatoes with melted butter, and sprinkle liberally with salt, to taste.
Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil, and place it in the center of the preheated oven. Bake until the potatoes are fork-tender (about 20 minutes). Remove the foil, and place the dish directly under your oven’s broiler. Turn on the broiler for about 4 minutes, until the potatoes are browned and crisp. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Adapted from Gluten-Free on a Shoestring: 125 Easy Recipes For Eating Well on the Cheap (Da Capo 2011).
