Shepard's Pie and Cabbage Fritters

 I have never had any interest in making Shepards pie until now.  I guess it was  curiosity that finally got me to try it.  The cabbage fritters were good though you may not think so. Charlie made a face when I told him they were like potato pancakes but with cabbage, but he like them when he tasted them.

Both were a hit with Charlie.

Shepherd's Pie

• Total: 1 hr 30 minPrep: 45 minCook: 45 minYield: 8 servings
• Ingredients

For the potatoes:

1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes  (I used golden potatoes.)

1/4 cup half-and-half

2 ounces unsalted butter

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 egg yolk

For the meat filling:

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 carrots, peeled and diced small

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 pounds ground lamb

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons tomato paste

1 cup chicken broth

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons freshly chopped rosemary leaves

1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves

1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

1/2 cup fresh or frozen English peas

• Peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice. Place in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Set over high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, uncover, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender and easily crushed with tongs, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Place the half-and-half and butter into a microwave-safe container and heat in the microwave until warmed through, about 35 seconds. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes and then add the half and half, butter, salt and pepper and continue to mash until smooth. Stir in the yolk until well combined.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the canola oil into a 12-inch saute pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to take on color, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Add the lamb, salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 3 minutes. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and toss to coat, continuing to cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire, rosemary, thyme, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.
• Add the corn and peas to the lamb mixture and spread evenly into an 11 by 7-inch glass baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and smooth with a rubber spatula. Place on a parchment lined half sheet pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. 
• Remove to a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

I wrote down the recipe from a video and cannot find the paper I wrote it down on now but the recipe below is the same, just smaller portions.  The recipe had a topping with plain yogurt, cucumber and Fines herbs which the store didn't have nor did they have some of the ingredients to make it from scratch.  We enjoyed the fritters without any topping anyway.

Cabbage Fritter "Batter"  

• 16 oz shredded cabbage
• 2 med-small carrots - grated
• 1 medium onion
• 3 large eggs
• 4-5 tbsp flour - see notes for gluten free or grain free
• 2 cloves garlic - minced

Seasonings

• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper - ground
• 1/2 tsp paprike - or smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp coriander - ground, optional
• 3-4 tbsp fat for frying - ghee or oil of your choice

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare the ingredients (wash and cut)

• Shred the cabbage  or chop fine (for fine uniform shreds). You will need 16 oz, about 7 packed cups. Or about 1/3 of a medium head of cabbage.
  
• Thinly slice  onion.
  
• Grate the carrots with a box grater.
  
• Mince the garlic .
  

Combine all the ingredients

• In a large bowl add all prepared ingredients and toss lightly to combine and coat everything with egg. You can use your hands.
  
  Don’t use force while mixing, you don’t want to draw too much water from the cabbage.
  
• Note: The cabbage mixture might look like a slaw at first, without much hope for sticking together, but don’t worry, the fritters will hold together once fried. 
  

Shape the cabbage fritters and fry

Note, make cakes small so you can turn them easily with a spatula.