Healthy South African Shepherd’s Pie
Prep Time: 15 Mins
Cook Time: 50 Mins
Total Time: 65 Mins
Serves: 6
A South African twist on Shepherd’s pie. Few dishes can be super comforting but healthy, and Shepherd’s pie is one of them. You can put minimal butter in the mash and use extra lean ground beef. It’s one of the few dishes where low-fat meat won’t come out dry because it’s cooked in broth. Now what gives this dish its South African flair is we are going to use the same spice mix as boerewors (a South African sausage) and then we will serve it with the famous Mrs Ball’s Chutney, you can also make a homemade version of this peach and apricot chutney which tastes even better!
Ingredients
Beef mixture
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 kg ground beef (extra-lean or lean)
½ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon table salt, plus more to taste
2 medium yellow onions, diced
3 large carrots (350g), diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ tablespoons coriander seeds
¾ teaspoon allspice berries
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon Worcester sauce
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
½ cup frozen corn
Mashed potatoes
1.2 kg potatoes (any that are good for mashing will work), peeled and cut into cubes
½ teaspoon table salt
3 tablespoons (40g) butter
½ cup milk
Mrs Ball’s chutney to serve (or homemade version)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position.
Place the beef, baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of water in a medium bowl. Mash with your hand to combine. Set aside for 20 minutes. This will allow the beef to tenderize.
Place the potatoes in a saucepan and add just enough cold water to cover them. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are soft and fork-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return to the saucepan. Add the butter, milk, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Using a potato masher, stir and mash the potatoes with the other ingredients until smooth. Add more milk if too thick and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Set aside.
Heat a 30cm oven-proof skillet over medium heat (if you do not have one, transfer the beef mixture to a casserole dish before cooking in the oven). Dry toast the coriander seeds, allspice, and cloves until fragrant about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder and allow to cool slightly. Grind to a powder.
In the same skillet heat the olive oil, add the carrots and onions, stirring frequently, until softened and starting to brown, 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and the spices (coriander, allspice, cloves, and ground nutmeg) and cook for 1 more minute. Add ½ cup of the chicken stock and let it reduce slightly before adding the flour. Stir until dissolved. Turn the heat up to high and add the ground beef and Worcestershire sauce; continue cooking, breaking the meat apart with a spoon, until the meat is no longer pink. Add the rest of the chicken broth; bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cook, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the corn and cook until it is warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
Dollop the mashed potatoes evenly over the filling. Use the back of a large spoon or spatula to spread the potatoes evenly over the beef mixture. Drag a fork across the top to make ridges. Place the skillet on a baking sheet or large sheet of foil to catch any drips and bake until the filling is hot, the topping is lightly browned, and the edges are bubbly about 30 minutes. For more colour, turn on the broiler and broil for the last 5 minutes, or until the top is golden. Serve with Mrs. Ball’s Chutney or my homemade peach and apricot chutney!
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Leftovers are kept for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Leftovers can be frozen for 2-3 months in the freezer.
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Per 1 serving (6 total):
Calories: 634
Carbohydrates: 53g
Protein: 42g
Fat: 28g
Saturated Fat: 11g
Fiber: 8g
Sugar: 10g
