Shepard’s Pie

Instructions:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a stockpot with filled with enough water to cover the potatoes to a boil and salt it. Once boiling, add the potatoes and cook until fork tender.

While the potatoes are cooking, heat a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking it up as you go. Once the beef is mostly cooked, add the grated onion, carrot, and celery and cook until softened. Add the garlic, thyme, and rosemary, and cook until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and flour and stir until it has coated the meat mixture. Add the beef stock and stir the pan, scraping any brown bits off the bottom. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce and taste the mixture for salt and pepper.

Once the potatoes are done, drain the water and return them to the hot pan to dry them out slightly. Run the potatoes through a ricer or use a potato masher to break them up. Add the warm milk, cold butter, egg yolks, cheddar cheese, and half of the parmesan cheese. Stir until the butter is melted and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spread the potato mixture evenly over the beef mixture and top with the remaining parmesan cheese. Bake until the top starts to brown and the beef mixture is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Turn on the broiler for a minute or two to brown the top. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.