Well now, one of my favorite dishes to eat but both Matthew and I are super picky about how it is made. I cannot tell you the amount of times I’ve tried Shepards Pie at restaurants and it just did not hold up. Now this recipe is a traditional Irish Shepards Pie; however, I usually make a Leftover version from my birthday dinner which is heavenly. I look forward to it every year. Just thinking about it makes me so hungry.

Unlike this recipe, my leftover recipe uses butterflied leg of lamb that has been marinated for 3 days, then grilled, then just like a casserole, I layer the leftover glazed carrots and mashed potatoes and warm it. It is a whole other level of cloud 9 I can’t wait to share in mid July or maybe even sooner if we decide on Lamb for Easter, which is right around the corner.

Story Time

While I am not Irish, I have a secret obsession with specific cuisines like Irish, Mexican, French, Italian, Spanish. It is not as bland, or as greasy as American food. Anyway, almost a decade a go, feels like only a few years ago, my aunt had been visiting and we got on the topic of Shepards Pie. I explained the basics of ground beef or lamb with carrots and peas then layer on mashed potatoes but she is one of the older generation that likes to argue over the little things. She wanted to change out certain ingredients, which is perfectly okay, but its not a Traditional Shepards Pie at that point. I don’t even consider my leftover Shepards Pie traditional even though the basics of lamb, carrots and mashed potatoes is the same. It is also the process that is used.

With spring upon us and St. Patricks Day this week and Easter just a few weeks away, well it is the perfect time to share our beloved recipe. It is perfect for all seasons but a great choose for a St. Patricks day dinner.