Moroccan Shepherd's Pie

Talk about comfort food. This Moroccan Shepherd's Pie is perfect for these cold winter days, it’s a great blend of spices with the familiar comfort of meat and potatoes and will leave your house smelling wonderful.   

I love traditional Shepherd’s pie, but find it a little to heavy at times. This Variation is perfect, if you are looking to clean up your diet a little but still want those delicious comfort foods. I actually even prefer this Moroccan pie to the traditional one. I like to load mine with different veggies to make sure I’m packing in the nutrients! 

You can make a big batch and feed a crowd, or make beautiful individual portions for a lovely dinner for two.  

For the filling: 

• 1 lb Crescent Foods Ground Beef  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 leek, chopped 
• 1 large carrot chopped 
• 1 large handful of spinach 
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped 
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root 
• 1-2 teaspoons salt 
• 1 teaspoon cumin 
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1 teaspoon chili powder 
• ½ tsp chilli flakes 
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 
• 1 teaspoon honey (optional) 
• 1 ½  cup chopped plum tomatoes (about ¾ 28 oz can, drained) 
• ½ cup stock (vegetable, chicken or beef) + salt to taste 
• ½ bunch cilantro, stems removed, chopped 

 For the mash: 

• 1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon cumin 
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
• 1 teaspoon salt 

• 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk (more if needed) 

Method:

For the filling: 

• Brown the ground meat in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add in the garlic and ginger and cook till meat is cooked through. 
• Remove meat from skillet and set aside. 
• Add olive oil to the pan along with the leek, and carrots. Cook for about 4-5 minutes then add in all the spies. Cook for another 6-8 minutes, till the veggies begin to soften.  
• Add the cooked meat back to the bpan with the veggies. Stir to combine everything together.  
• Add in tomatoes, chicken stock and honey.  
• Bring to a boil and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes more. 
• Add spinach and chopped cilantro, stir and remove from heat. 
• Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

For the mash: 

• Peel and cut the sweet potato into large pieces.  
• Boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 minutes or until tender. 
• Drain well, add the olive oil, cumin, garlic powder, salt and milk. 
• With a hand blender (or potato masher), blend until they reach a creamy consistency. 

Assembly: 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
• Fill a 13 in x 9 in casserole dish with the filling and spread the mash on top. Ora few small ramekins.  
• Bake for 40 minutes until the topping is beginning to brown. 
• Garnish with extra chopped cilantro, if desired.