Shepherds Pie with sweet potatoes
This Shepherd's Pie is an ode to the dwindling days of summer. The fresh flavors of lemon and white wine are beautifully accompanied by late summer produce, like zucchini and warm sweet potatoes. To make this vegetarian, you can skip the ground turkey. This recipe serves a crowd, so halve the ingredients if you don’t have many mouths to feed.
Ingredients
- 2 ears corn, blanched, kernels removed (or 1 can of sweet corn)
- 12 oz pkg frozen peas
- 8 baby peppers, chopped into into about ½’’ pieces
- 3 medium zucchinis
- 1 lb ground turkey, or chicken
- 2 shallots, minced
- 1 medium leek, thinly sliced
- ½ c chives or green onion, finely chopped
- ¾ c Parmesan cheese, grated
- 4 medium sweet potatoes, steamed or baked
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ¼ c dry white wine
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ c olive oil, divided, plus 2 Tbsp
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mash together the sweet potatoes, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Salt to taste and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- Cut your zucchini in half lengthwise, then halve the halves so you have 4 long strips. Cut the strips into 1’’ pieces; repeat for the remaining squash. In a 12’’ skillet, heat ¼ c of olive oil and add the zucchini in a single layer. Toss in the oil and then allow to sit for 2-3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Toss the zucchini to brown the other sides, then remove from the skillet.
- In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add ¼ c of olive oil. When the oil is shimmery, add the ground turkey. Using a spatula, break the meat into larger pieces, then allow the meat to sit, undisturbed, for 3-4 minutes, or until browned. Sprinkle the salt over the meat and repeat this process until the turkey is mostly browned. When the turkey is fully cooked, remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add shallots, leeks, green onions, and bell peppers, and salt to taste. Cook until translucent and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the peas, corn, and zucchini and continue cooking until peas are bright green, about 4 more minutes. Pour in the white wine and Worcestershire sauce and stir until evaporated; salt to taste. When the vegetables are tender, transfer to a large mixing bowl, along with the ground turkey. Mix until well combined and taste for additional seasoning.
- In a 9x13 pan, spread the vegetable and turkey mixture into an even layer. Dollop the mashed sweet potatoes on top and smooth out with a fork. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and cover with foil. Place in the center of the oven and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and continue cooking for about 10 more minutes, or until the Parmesan is golden brown.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Reposted from Sept. 2020.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 277kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 38mg, Sodium: 473mg, Potassium: 1003mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 21468IU, Vitamin C: 64mg, Calcium: 197mg, Iron: 3mg