Shepherd's Pie 2014 St Patty's with Lamb

Shepherds to not shepherd cattle. They herd sheep...  Also, I prefer a meat based gravy to the tomato based sauce.  In a hurry, I'll use jarred gravy, rather than tomato paste / sauce.
It makes for a totally different flavor.

2 Lbs Lamb
1 + 1/2 chopped onion (about 1+ cup)
1/2 Lb Carrots sliced thin (about 1 c. chopped)
1/2 Lb Frozen Peas  (about 1 c. chopped)
4 cloves of garlic
1 C Beef broth (I could not find my frozen lamb stock, I must have used it all.)
2 TBS Worcestershire
1 TBS oil.
1 -2 TBS flour
1/2-1 tsp salt, 1/2-1 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp rosemary, 1/2 tsp thyme

5 Lbs Potatoes (Only used about three, but leftover mashed, mmm)

1 C Half and Half or Milk

1/4 C Sour Cream

1 Stick of Sweet Butter

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 C grated Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 400

Peel and chop the potatoes into 1/2-1" cubes.  Boil in salted water.

Brown the lamb in oil, adding all the spices including Worcestershire sauce.
Remove lamb from pan with a slotted spoon when browned.
Saute the onion and carrots 3 minutes in the leftover juices/oils. Add the garlic, 1 minute more.
Add back the meat, sprinkle in the flour, coating the meat, cooking it and thickening the sause
Add beef broth (use the leftover potato water to make a thicker beef broth from base.)
Simmer until sauce thickens.

Mash the potatoes adding salt, butter, half and half, sour cream, until smooth and creamy.

Place meat filling in casserole.
spread the potatoes over the meat filling
sprinkle with grated cheese.

Bake 20-25 until browned.

Beef Stew = Mt + Sl + Se + St + VG

Where
B = LBS. of Beef Roast (Cubed)
oo = TBS olive oil = B
p = tsp pepper = B
s = tsp NaCl = B x 1.5
O = Onions = B / 2 (Chop Coarse)
FL = Cups of Flour =  B/4
W = Cups Red Wine = B/2
G = Garlic Cloves = B (Chop Fine)

L = Cups Beef Broth = B x 1.5

h = tsp Hungarian Paprika = B/2
bq = tsp Bouquet Garni = B
bl = Bay Leaves = B/2
w = tsp worcestershire sauce = B/2

C = Carrots = B x 1.5 (Chop)
P = Potatoes = B x 1.5 (Dice)
E = Celery Stalks = B/2 (Chopped)
A = Parsnip = B/4 (Sliced)
R = Rutabaga = B/16 (Diced Small)
T= Turnip B/4 (Diced Small)

Hh = High Heat
Hm = Med Heat
Hl = Low Heat

Brown B in oo+s+p, remove and set aside.  Cook O until soft, add FL, thicken, add diced G cook 1 min..  Deglaze with W, bring to simmer.  Add L, B, h, bq, bl, w, and simmer for 1-2 hours. Add C,P,E,A,R,T.  Simmer for 30 Minutes

(B + oo+s+p) x Hh  = Mt
(O + FL + G + W) x Mh  = Sl
(h + bq + bl + w) = Se
(Sl + L + Mt + Se) x Hl = St
(C + P + E + A + R + T) = Vg

Mt + Sl + Se + St + VG = SB
SB = ((B + oo+s+p) x Hh) + ((O + FL + G + W) x Mh) +(h + bq + bl + w) + ((Sl + L + Mt + Se) x Hl) + (C + P + E + A + R + T)

Beef Barley Soup with Mushrooms 2025 updated

Recipe Revision 15.NOV.2025

This is a leftovers / pantry recipe

1.5 Qts Stock (6 cups)

0.5 C Barley

1/2 Lb. +/- Diced Beef  

10-12 Oz sliced Mushrooms 

1 C +/- diced Onion 

1 C sliced Carrots

1/4 C Red Wine

2 cloves of Garlic 

2-4 Tbs Butter

1-2 Tbs Olive Oil

1/2 tsp Thyme

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

1/2 tsp Salt 

Pepper to taste (2-3 grinds)

Salt the Onions and sautee in butter / olive oil until tender, 

    add the garlic cook another minute and set aside

Sautee the Mushrooms, until browned, add thyme, half of red wine, cook down, set aside

Sautee the Beef adding oil as needed, sprinkle paprika and grind pepper

    If using leftover beef, coat and warm.  If using fresh beef, brown on all sides.  

    Add remainder of wine (deglaze) then set aside     

Add Barley to heated pot, add Broth, Carrots and remaining ingredients.

Bring to boil, skim if needed.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for ~45 to 60 min.

    It is done when the barley is fully plump.

Beef - needs more, cook at a higher temp for crispier
seasoning needs more, needs to go in sooner.
carrots - need to go in later
onions and garlic - needs to be chopped finer
barley - needs more, do not rinse, starch thickens

Oh it is tasty but this is a work in progress. The first time was delicious but had too much barley an became a barley dish in beef sauce. They absorbed all the broth.

Beef 1 - 1.5 lbs leftover or fresh uncooked of meat
4 qts broth
3-4 large carrots - sliced coarsley
2 sm onions copped FINE
2 cloves garlic
1 Cup pearled Barley
8 oz pack of fresh button mushrooms, quartered
1-2 tsp penzeys bouquet garni
4 tbs olive oil divided
1/4 cup red wine

heat 1/2 oil
sear and brown beef on all sides on high heat, remove, and set aside 5 min
add remaining oil and spices and saute onions 10 min
add garlic sautee 2 min
deglaze pot with wine
add beef, broth, carrots, barley then bring to boil open, cover and simmer 20 min
add mushrooms, simmer 20 minutes.
serve

Stroganoff from Scratch

1 C Sour Cream
1 C Beef Broth - I used "Better than Broth"
1/2 C Mushrooms (3-4 LG) chopped into grape sized pieces
1 Sm Onion (3/4 C) finely chopped
1/4 C Dry Red Wine
2 Tbs Butter
1/2-3/4 TBS Paprika
1/2 Tsp Salt
1/2 Tsp ground pepper
Pan Drippings - scrape the drippings from the bottom of the baking pan, after cooking two batches of Swedish meatballs - much crispier after the second baking...

Sautee onions and mushrooms in butter until softened.
stir in pan drippings
add spices
add broth and wine, bring to a boil for about a minute.
lower heat to low and stir in sour cream
heat through and serve with Swedish meatballs

A variation I did not try called for adding 2 Tbs mustard, to be served over a pork cutlet.