Cottage Pie Stuffed Potatoes {REDUCED CARBS}

Have you had Cottage Pie or Shepherd's Pie? Cottage Pie and Shepherd's Pie are cousins but not twins. Both pies have a ground [mince] meat bottom that has a carrots, onion, peas and a savory brown sauce. Both are topped with mashed potatoes. Cottage Pie is made with beef while Shepherd's Pie is made with lamb. Both are delicious and either meat works here. I chose ground beef because you can get lean ground beef. What I love about this version is every bite is flavor packed. The beef is savory with punches of great umami flavor from tomato paste and madeira wine. The potatoes have some alum flavor from the chives that harmonize so well with the meaty bottom. These are a little bit more interesting because they meat is put back into a baked potato making this almost a finger food.

Here's a little story about this dish: We sat across each other one Spring evening. We weren’t dating. We were friends. Just friends. Both of us were reeling from recent breakups. He ordered the shepherd’s pie, I got the lamb burger. I kept eying his dish as we talked. Halfway through dinner he slid his plate across the table, tilted his head with a smile and said, “I’m so rude. How can I not offer you some of this?” He declined my lamb burger. It was as dry as it looked. 

Anyway, as I ate his shepherd’s pie, he ordered another. And I asked him what I wanted to ask…”How do I negotiate better because I never get want I want?” He was known for being a phenomenal negotiator. He made a successful career doing it. In the end we played out a hypothetical. He asked me to tell him what I didn’t get but wanted. I told him. He put his fork down. “That’s the issue, Jill. You didn’t ask for enough. You grossly underestimated your value to your opponent and he shortchanged you. I would have given you 4-5 times what you asked on that list. You need a longer list. Keep it realistic but ask for more and expect more. And know when to walk away because you can find a better offer.” 

That conversation was years ago but since then I’ve negotiated for raises, changed careers, bought a home, shopped for mortgages, learned new skills, networked and walked away when shorted. And when I eat something like this dish I think of my friend fondly. That night changed my life.

TIPS:

• This recipe makes enough meat filling for 5 potatoes. I froze the rest to make for another time. If you don't want extra, I recommend halving the ingredients used in the meat part of the recipe, which begins at the olive oil. Alternatively bake 2 more potatoes and and make another 1/2 of the potato mixture. [which would be 1/2 cup cooked potato, 8 sprays Can't Believe It's Not Butter, 1 tbs sour cream, 1/8 tsp garlic powder, 2 tbs chopped fresh chives]
• Avoid simmering out all the sauce in the meat mixture. You want this to be a bit runny.
• If pressed for time, skip making the potatoes. Instead buy instant mashed potatoes, reconstitute and use 1 cup of them and 1 cup of mashed cauliflower. Proceed with recipe but instead of stuffing the potatoes, keep filling in cast iron skillet, top with potatoes and broil to brown the potatoes.

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RECIPE:

3 servings

Per serving: 225 cals/11g total fat/3g saturated fat/13g carbs/3g fiber/5g sugar/19g protein

INGREDIENTS:

3 russet potatoes of equal size, fully cooked
1 cup frozen cauliflower florets, cooked until tender
16 sprays of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
2 tbs light sour cream
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup of fresh chives, chopped
1 tbs olive oil
10 baby carrots
1/2 cup of chopped onion
1 lb 93% ground beef, at room temperature and both sides should be seasoned with kosher salt
3 tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 tbs tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tbs madeira wine
1/2 cup frozen peas

1. Cut 1/2 inch thick slice off the top of each potato. Scoop out flesh leaving a little on the sides and bottom for support. Measure out 1 cup of the scooped potato. Mash 1 cup cooked potato, cooked cauliflower, the sprays of I can't believe it's not butter, sour cream, salt, pepper, garlic and chives. Set aside.

2. In a skillet heat the oil over medium heat. Saute carrot and onion, seasoned with some kosher salt, until 10 minutes or until browned and tender. If the skillet gets dry, add some drops of water to avoid using more oil. Add beef. Break up and brown, about 4 minutes. It doesn't have to be completely cooked through. Keep it a little undercooked b/c lean meat can toughen. Push meat to one side of the skillet. Add tomato paste to the open area and let it loosen. Add Worcestershire sauce through wine and 1 cup water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and cook until sauce is coating everything and still a little. Taste. Add up to 1/2 tsp salt if needed. Add frozen peas. Stir. 

3. Stuff the potatoes with the meat mixture, top with the mashed potatoes, sprinkle with touch of paprika if you want and broil until the tops are browned. 

Based off Diane Morrisey's recipe.