Shepherds Pie With Tater Tot Topping Recipes

SHEPHERD'S PIE TOPPED WITH TATER TOTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400˚F
• Heat a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high to high heat with oil, 2 turns of the pan
• When oil ripples, add meat and brown well, stirring occasionally
• Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves and season with salt and pepper
• Cook to soften vegetables, 10-12 minutes
• Stir in Worcestershire sauce and reduce heat to simmer
• In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat
• Whisk in flour, cook 1 minute then whisk in cider or beer
• Reduce by half then whisk in stock and thicken to a loose gravy
• Place meat and vegetables in a casserole dish and stir in watercress and gravy
• Top with cheddar and tots, and bake until tots are golden and crispy on top

SHORTCUT SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Heat a large skillet over high heat for 2 minutes, then add the oil. (It will shimmer and lightly smoke; that's OK.) When you start to see wisps of smoke, crumble the ground beef evenly into the pan. Let the beef cook undisturbed until browned on one side, 3 minutes, then start breaking it up and turning it to brown any remaining pink spots, about 4 minutes more. Transfer the beef with a slotted spoon to a medium bowl; set aside.
• Turn the heat down to medium and discard all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet. Add the onions, garlic and thyme, stir to combine and cook until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the cooked beef, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce has thickened, about 4 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs if using. Fold in the peas and carrots.
• Transfer the mixture to an 8-inch square casserole pan, and top with the potato tots and Cheddar. Bake until the potato tots are crisp and the meat layer is bubbling up the sides, 20 to 25 minutes.

CHEDDAR-TOPPED SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place potatoes in a large saucepan, and cover by 1 inch with salted water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high. Add carrots, celery, onion, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour and tomato paste; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add beef; cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 1 cup water; bring to a boil, and simmer 1 minute. Set beef filling aside.
• Drain potatoes; return to pan. Cook over medium, stirring, until liquid has evaporated and a thin film covers bottom of pan, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; add milk and 1 cup cheese. Mash until smooth; season cheddar-potato topping with salt and pepper.
• Pour beef filling into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Drop dollops of topping over filling; spread to edges with a spatula. Using a fork, make decorative peaks; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake until topping is browned and filling is bubbling rapidly, about 20 minutes (if topping and filling were chilled, increase to 35 minutes). Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

TWO-TATER SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the soup, garlic salt and pepper. , Place Tater Tots in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Top with beef mixture and green beans. Spread mashed potatoes over the top; sprinkle with cheese. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° until heated through, 40-45 minutes.

TATER TOT BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with the onions. Drain excess fat, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Spread the beef mixture evenly over the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish. Arrange tater tots evenly over beef layer. In a small bowl, stir the soup into the milk until smooth; pour over tater tot and beef layers. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese evenly over the top.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and slightly brown.