Irish Shepherd's Pie is truly my comfort food. It makes a wonderful dish to serve on St. Patrick's Day or any day really! Enjoy!
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and coat casserole dish with non-stick spray
Peel and cube the potatoes. Cook in boiling water until soft. Drain the water and mash the potatoes with milk and 2 tablespoons of butter. Set aside
In a large skillet, brown the beef over medium heat. When the meat is almost cooked through, add the chopped onions until soft and translucent. Then add the garlic for about 30 seconds or until it becomes fragrant. Also, add salt & pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and let cool
In a separate saucepan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and stir in the flour. Whisk together until dark brown. This could take about 8-10 minutes. Let cool
On medium heat, stir in the beef broth or stock, ketchup and browning & seasoning sauce. Simmer until thick
Add the sauce to the ground beef and mix
Transfer meat to the casserole dish, top with the mashed potatoes and sprinkle the shredded cheese on top
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are browned. Serve!
This dish is a classic Irish dish so keep in mind it's best to add additional salt & pepper after it's cooked. My rule of thumb is that it's easier to season after it's cooked (you can take salt our of a dish)