I almost called this recipe Pate Chinois, which is the Quebecois equivalent to Shepherd’s Pie that I grew up eating at least once a week. Of course a rare few would know what I’m talking about, and really this comforting casserole is more than Pate Chinois, and more than Shepherd’s Pie too. It’s loaded with fresh shucked sweet corn, delicata squash,fresh tomatoes, purple potatoes, sage, aged cheddar cheese and tender lamb, all locally procured and stunningly seasonal. Oh I’m in love with purple potatoes, they taste just a little more purple, if that makes any sense! Delicata squash is true to its name, delicate and buttery.
A tale of manifestation…Last night J was talking about how he really wanted a thermos. This morning we awoke to the neighbours clearing out their garage for a yard sale, they were bringing out a BBQ to sell which we jumped on. Totally excited to start making all things grilled! We checked it out and realized it’s a thermos brand BBQ. Moral of the story, be specific with your wishes, however, awesome things happen with non-specificity as well. It’s like asking for a trip to London and suddenly winning a trip to London,Ontario…ha.
We delighted in the wholesome and wholly nourishing Shepherd’s Harvest Pie amongst the giant Maple trees, slowly shedding their leaves. Baby Mav adores leaves, they are his favourite thing in the whole world, no toy could compare. Except maybe the books he is presently pulling off the shelves to chew on. A lot can happen in one year, we’ve moved 5 times, had a baby, started this website and learned a million things in the process. A quote that I love about Autumn;
The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let the dead things go.
Embracing change and growth has never felt so good. How grateful I am to share all of this wonderment with you, life is just filled with magic in the simplest of things. Like a piece of pie, with many hidden treasures.
- 2 large red potatoes
- 3 small purple potatoes (or regular), very finely sliced
- 2 Tbs butter or ghee
- ⅓ C cream or coconut milk
- splash of preferred oil (for frying onions and garlic)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 shallot or white onion, finely chopped
- 1 lb ground lamb (you could substitute ground beef)
- 8 sage leaves, finely chopped
- 2 corn cobs, use a sharp knife to shave off the kernels
- ½ delicata squash, seeds removed and cubed
- 4 small tomatoes, sliced
- ⅓ C finely shredded aged cheddar
- 1 tsp sea salt
- generous amounts of fresh cracked pepper
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Boil water and cook the red potatoes until they are really nice and soft.
- Heat a skillet and add your oil, onions and garlic, cook until translucent, add ground lamb and sage, cover until lamb is fully cooked.
- Drain water from the cooked potatoes, saving a few tablespoons worth. Add butter and cream with a generous amount of sea salt and cracked pepper, stir until smooth.
- In a deep casserole dish (I used 8x12) add an even layer of cooked lamb, next add the corn, squash and tomatoes. Cover with mashed potatoes, pressing evenly into all the spaces. Top with a layer of sliced purple potatoes.
- Bake at 350 for half an hour.
- Add the cheese and broil for a few minutes until nice and golden.
