Can we turn a bland and boring staple like shepherds pie into something a little more fun? Damn right we can – with this spicy southwest version it will impress even those meat and potato lovers.
Those people who stare at a menu and pick the safest most boring item on it drive me crazy. Hey, hon! Let’s go out tonight and eat dull and flavorless. Sure, sweetie. Let me grab my purse.
Blah.
And shepherd’s pie comes to mind when I think dull and boring. That is, most home made old-school versions. Meat and potatoes. Nothing kicking, no flavor to pop. Just ground beef below dry white potatoes. So, when a friend brought the dish back to the center of my attention and fat kid cozy weather kicked in, I wanted to try a spin on the homey dish that would make it something this carnivore would want to eat. Subbing the meat for chorizo kicks up the dull ground pork into something a little zesty and adding smokey paprika and cumin to the mix help. Finishing it off with smooth sweets instead of boring white potatoes was the kicker. Add some Tabasco and an avocado and you’ve taking this poor man’s Irish dish and turned it into an affordable fiesta.
So grab a piñata, it’s time to party.
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Southwest Shepherd
Ingredients
- 2 lbs sweet potatoes cut into thirds – leave skins on
- 2 tbsp butter
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp cayenne
- 1 lbs pork chorizo
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 small sweet peppers minced
- 2 cups frozen corn kernels thawed
- Additional Tabasco as needed
Instructions
- Add the sweet potatoes to a large pot of cold salted water and bring it to a boil. Boil for 20 minutes, until fork tender.
- Drain and set aside to cool until safe to handle. When ready, discard skins.
- Return to the pot, add the butter, and mash with a potato masher or hand mixer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large, oven safe skillet, toast the paprika, cumin, and cayenne for one minute.
- Add the chorizo and brown, breaking into small bits, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Add the white wine, onion, and pepper. Simmer another 5 minutes until liquid is reduced and almost gone.
- Stir in the corn and cook until heated through.
- Spread the mashed sweet potatoes over the top of the skillet and place in the oven to bake for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Switch the oven to broil and toast the top of the sweet potatoes, 3 to 5 minutes longer.
- Serve with additional Tabasco sauce if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Silvia says
Thank you so much for this recipe! Even while I had a teeny little “ingredient malfunction”, I loved the result!
https://efreetintheoven.blogspot.it/2014/03/the-internet-is-for-corn.html
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
Hands down the best shepherds pie I have ever seen. Loving that you used sweet potato instead of normally potato especially.. great recipe, definitely need to try it.