Curried Sheppard's Pie

I love food, food of all varieties. So when my awesome client Thiru brought me some of his special blend curry powder I decided to get creative.

This Sheppards Pie is the result of me wanting to make something with this awesome curry powder and also wanting to make something that works well for lunches. That second reason might not make perfect sense to everyone, but if you're like me and make 2-5 packed meals a day, you probably understand my dilemma.

Salads, although delicious, get boring. Soups and Chili's are great except that I refuse to use a microwave and they aren't that great cold. I don't eat sandwiches. And a girl can only eat so many hard boiled eggs. Enter the casserole, yummy cold, balanced, easy to eat, even on the go and so many variations. I forsee many casseroles this winter :)

Curried Sheppard’s Pie

Curried Sheppard's Pie

Ingredients:

1 Large Sweet Potato, diced
2 or 3 Peppers (I like Red and Green Peppers), rough chopped
2 Onions, diced
2-4 Cloves of Garlic, minced
1 Can of Diced Tomatoes
Ground Beef or Turkey – I use a mixture – About 2 pounds
Cumin
Curry Powder – depends on how strong it is, I like about 2 tablespoons
Turmeric
Salt And Pepper
Poppadoms, crushed until they resemble bread crumbs

Instructions:

1. Add the turkey/beef into a pan over medium heat.
2. Meanwhile, dice your sweet potato (no need to peel), and place in a pot, add water until the potatoes are nearly covered. With the lid on the pan, bring to a boil, and cook until fork tender. Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them and set aside, with the lid still on.
3. Once the meat is cooked, drain away the all the fat. Placing the meat back on the stove add your garlic and onions. Add your curry powder. Once the aroma of the curry really comes out, add the tomatoes. Keep cooking over medium high heat until reduced by at least half.
4. Mash your sweet potatoes, and add Cumin and Turmeric and Salt and Pepper to taste.
5. Add the meat mixture to your casserole dish. Top with the chopped peppers. Top by spreading the mashed potatoes over the peppers. Sprinkle with crushed poppadoms.
6. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes. Finish the casserole under the broiler to crisp up the topping. Let the casserole rest for a few minutes before you dig in. Delish!