Thanksgiving is finished; now what to do with all of the leftovers! Our friend Jeanette has the perfect plan for your extra turkey – a simple and delicious recipe for Turkey Shepherd’s Pie.
Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
This is a great way to make use of all those delicious turkey leftovers. This is comfort food at its best. Jeanette likes to serve this with steamed broccoli, but a simple greens salad would go perfectly. You can also make this ahead of time and refrigerate it. To heat, place a piece of foil on top and place in the preheated oven until heated through (I’m guessing it would take about 35-40 minutes); remove the foil and continue baking another 5-10 minutes.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Yield: 5-6
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 leek, white parts only, washed well and thinly sliced
5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
1 cup low-fat milk
5 roasted garlic cloves, mashed (optional)
Shepherd’s Pie Filling
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 carrots, peeled, minced
2 celery stalks, trimmed, minced
1 leek, trimmed and sliced, or 1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup red wine
8 ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup shredded low-fat cheese
2 tablespoons Romano cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mashed Potatoes Heat olive oil in a sauté pan and add leek; sauté until lightly browned and caramelized. Place potatoes in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil; cook until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain well and place potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Add yogurt and milk; beat until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in mashed roasted garlic cloves (if using) and sautéed leeks. Shepherd’s Pie Heat oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add carrots, celery, leek and garlic, thyme and rosemary and sauté until vegetables soften, about 5-6 minutes. Add turkey and use the back of a large spoon to break into pieces; cook until browned. Add red wine and cook until wine reduces and just evaporates. Add tomato sauce and frozen peas, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large casserole dish. Spread mashed potatoes on top of meat filling. Sprinkle shredded cheese and Romano cheese on top. Bake for 10-12 minutes until cheese is melted.
Jeanette Chen, a resident of New Canaan for 20 years, is the busy mom of 4 boys and author of a popular health and wellness food blog, Jeanette’s Healthy Living. She was recently named 2013′s Best Allergy Blog by Healthline and is always looking for ways to make healthier meals for her family and friends. See more by clicking here