My Easy Cheesy Sweet Potato Shepard’s Pie is chef serving worthy!

It’s been ages since I’ve added to my ‘recipes for a chef’ collection. The dish has to be good enough to serve to a chef to make the cut. This version of the classic Shepard’s Pie totally fits the bill. I should be a bit more specific about using the word classic. A true British shepard’s pie calls for ground or left-over lamb. My family’s classic uses ground beef. Both have a gravy of sorts and are topped with mashed potatoes. Regardless, my new version has left-over cubed prime rib roast, crispy bacon, mushrooms, cream laden gravy and spicy whipped sweet potatoes oozing with mozzarella and cheddar. In my not-so-humble opinion, this version is soon to be a classic! I used left-over prime rib because that’s what I had in the fridge. You can use any cut of left-over cooked roast beef. Serve your pie with some steamed broccoli or spinach on the side and you’ve got a meal fit for a chef!

Easy Cheesy Sweet Potato Shepard’s Pie
Preheat Oven 400*F
Serves 6

3 cups cooked roast beef, diced into ½ inch cubes –  I used left-over prime rib roast
4 slices smoked bacon, cut across the grain into ½ inch strips
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 medium red onion, sliced thin
8 medium white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thick
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped coarsely
2 cups beef gravy – homemade is great if you have it otherwise use a good quality commercial beef gravy.
½ cup heavy cream
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 medium sweet potatoes, baked and mashed
1 cup butternut squash, baked and mashed
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish, vinegar drained
2 ounces each of mozzarella and old cheddar, cut into ½ inch cubes

THE STEPS:

• In a large heavy bottomed skillet, over medium high heat, crisp up the bacon with the garlic and onion; stirring often.
• Once the bacon is crispy, using a slotted spoon, remove bacon, garlic and onion from the skillet to a bowl, leaving the bacon renderings. [ fat ]
• Add the mushrooms to the bacon fat and fry until golden.
• Pour the bacon mixture, beef cubes, thyme and rosemary into the skillet.
• Add the beef gravy, cream, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
• Remove from heat.
• Place the sweet potato, buttercup squash and drained horseradish in a medium bowl and mix well.
• Fold in the cubed cheeses.
• Using a large ice cream scoop, drop balls of sweet potato/squash onto the top of the beef mixture using all of it.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until the topping is golden and the sauce is bubbly.

THE LOVE: You can easily substitute mashed white potatoes for the sweet potato/buttercup squash topping.

Thanks for reading.