There are so many fun ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with food. Just to name a few – there’s  green smoothies, green gummies, or even naturally green cookies!

This year I decided to celebrate with a traditional Irish dish – Shepherd’s Pie. This is one of our favorite weeknight dishes. I started making it right after Ryan and I got married. Since then this dish has evolved quite a lot.

As far as herbs and seasonings go, I have decided I like the below the best.  For the meat, lamb is traditional, but I mostly use grass-fed beef and occasionally venison. For this recipe I went with the traditional white potato, but it can be made with any type of sweet potato (I have used Garnet, Hannah, and Japanese sweet potatoes).

So celebrate your St. Patty’s day with all kinds of green food and end it with this comforting and traditional Shepherd’s Pie!

Shepherd’s Pie

Prep: 30-40 min             Cook: 25 min           Serves: 8-9

Ingredients:

Bottom Layer:

• 2 pounds ground lamb, grass-fed beef, or venison
• 6 diced celery stalks
• 5 diced carrots
• 2 zucchinis or yellow squashes diced slightly bigger than the carrots and celery
• 2 tbsp bacon grease or coconut oil, melted
• 1 tbsp garlic olive oil or 1 diced garlic clove and 1 tbsp oil
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 cup fresh sage
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp white pepper (sub more black pepper)
• 1 tsp dried rosemary

Top Layer:

• 5 cups chopped potatoes (2.5 to 3 pounds) sub: any variety sweet potato
• 1/4 cup ghee, butter, or coconut oil
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 3 eggs (for AIP sub 1/2 to 1 cup coconut milk – add enough until creamy)

Directions:

1.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a large 13×9 casserole dish add the 2 tbsp of melted bacon grease or oil.  Add the diced carrots, celery and zuchinni/squash to the dish and toss in the grease/oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt. Place the veggies in the oven to roast and soften. Stir occasionally.

3. While the veggies are in the oven – in a large pot add the chopped potatoes, a pinch of sea salt, and enough water to cover – bring to a boil, and cook until easily pierced with a knife/fork.  Peel or no peel is fine.

4. While the veggies and potatoes cook – In a large saute pan add 1 tbsp garlic olive oil or coconut oil over medium heat.  Once it has come to temperature add the meat and garlic clove if using.  While the meat browns, mix in all of the spices, reserving the fresh sage for the very end.

5. Cook the meat through, and then carefully drain of some of the liquid – but not all as the liquid will keep the pie moist. Once lightly drained, add the fresh sage.

6. Once the potatoes are soft, drain the liquid. Add them back to the pot, mash them and then mix in the ghee/oil, eggs (or milk) and sea salt. The consistency should be really smooth with no lumps.

7. Once the veggies are softened, remove from the oven. Add the meat mixture to the veggies, and mix well. Flatten the top of the mixture with a spatula/back of a spoon. Now spread the potato mixture over the top evenly.

8. Place in the 400 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly browned on top.

9. Remove from oven, carefully slice out pieces and let it cool for 4-5 minutes. It’s hot!

This makes great leftovers – just store in the fridge and reheat in the oven or microwave.