It’s hard to go wrong when you combine two of the most comforting of comfort foods — twice-baked potatoes and shepherd’s pie. The combination — shepherd’s pie stuffed potatoes — is just one of the 225 creations Rachael Ray comes up with in her latest cookbook, “Rachael Ray’s Look and Cook.”
Shepherd’s Pie Stuffed Potatoes
Start to finish: 1 hour 45 minutes
- 6 large russet potatoes
- 45 ml (3 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- Salt, to taste
- 1/2 red bell pepper, cored and chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) sour cream
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) smoked paprika
- 250 ml (1 cup) shredded smoked Gouda cheese
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 500 g (1 lb) ground sirloin
- 250 g (1/2 lb) button or cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) butter
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) all-purpose flour
- 375 ml (1 1/2 cups) beef stock
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) spicy brown or Dijon mustard
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) soy sauce
- 15 ml (1 tbsp) Worcestershire sauce
- Heat oven to 200 C (400 F).
- On a rimmed baking sheet, roll potatoes in a hearty drizzle of olive oil and some salt. Bake until tender, about 1 hour, then let cool. Turn off the oven and switch on the broiler.
- While potatoes cool, in a medium skillet over medium, heat 15 ml (1 tbsp) of the olive oil. Add bell pepper and half of the onion and saute to soften for 5 minutes, then set aside to cool.
- When potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut a thin top slice off each potato. In a bowl, combine bell pepper and onion mixture, sour cream, smoked paprika, half of the Gouda, salt and pepper. Scoop flesh from each potato into bowl. Mash to combine. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high, heat remaining 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil. Add ground sirloin and brown for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up any lumps. Add mushrooms and cook until they start to turn golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes more.
- Add remaining onion and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes. Push all of the ingredients to the edge of the pan and add butter to middle of skillet. Sprinkle flour over melted butter and cook for about 1 minute. Whisk in stock, mustard, soy sauce and Worcestershire. Bring up to a bubble, combine with meat mixture, adjust salt and pepper and simmer until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Fill potato shells with beef and veggie mixture, then top each of them with reserved mashed potatoes. Transfer to a baking sheet and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Pop potatoes under broiler until cheese is melted and tops are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
Makes 6 servings.
Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 631 calories; 209 calories from fat (33 per cent of total calories); 23 g fat (11 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 86 mg cholesterol; 76 g carbohydrate; 31 g protein; 5 g fibre; 956 mg sodium.
Source: “Look and Cook” by Rachael Ray (Clarkson Potter, 2010).
