Then I found this recipe in one of my cookbooks that I started scouring in an attempt to find something to make for dinner this past week with one of the numerous pounds of ground beef in the freezer. I haven’t made this in an eternity, had honestly kind of forgotten about it. That’s the joy in revisiting cookbooks you haven’t used in a while, isn’t it? It was easy to whip together one night after work and it was just as good as I remember it being. Kind of like an upside-down, inside-out shepherd’s pie – essentially a twice baked potato on the bottom, beefy goodness on the top! The original recipe was designed for like 8 people (Rachael says 4, but I’m pretty sure the FDA would not agree with her serving sizes), so I cut the recipe down significantly and skinnied it up a little.
Smothered Potatoes (Inside-out Shepherd’s Pie)
adapted from Rachael Ray’s Just in Time Cookbook
2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed
olive oil
salt
1 lb lean ground beef
2 large carrots, shredded
1 large onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 bottle of beer (the darker the better, Guinness is best. But use whatever you got)
milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 425. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Place on a baking sheet and bake until fork tender, about 30 minutes.
While the potatoes are baking, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Brown the beef, then add onions, carrots and bay leaf. Cook until onions have softened, 6-8 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce and beer to deglaze the pan. Reduce heat to low, simmer until beer has completely reduced.
When potatoes are fork-tender, remove from the oven and let cool enough to handle. Scrape the potato flesh into a mixing bowl, leaving a thin layer on all sides and the bottom for stability. Mash potatoes with a splash of milk until creamy and desired consistency. Add 1/2 cup cheese and season with salt and pepper. Refill potato shells and top with remaining cheese. Place back in oven until cheese has melted.
Once cheese is melted, remove from oven to serving plates. Top with beef sauce over top of potatoes.
Enjoy!
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