Rabbit Shepherds Pie
The Classic Shepherds Pie with a twist. Ground rabbit with vegetables in a savory gravy, topped with mashed potatoes and baked.
Ingredients
For the Rabbit Filling:
- 1lb ground rabbit
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 2 cup mixed peas & carrots diced fresh or frozen
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp parsley
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons flour optional, for thickening
Mashed Potato Topping
- 3 lb. russet potatoes - peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup half & half eyeball it
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter -1 stick
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Make the Meat Filling:
- Add the oil to a large skillet and place it over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Add the ground rabbit to the skillet and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Add the rosemary, thyme and parsley, salt and pepper. Stir often. Cook for 6-8 minutes until the meat is cooked through .
- Add the Worcestershire sauce and garlic. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the flour and tomato paste. Stir until well incorporated and no clumps of tomato paste are present.
- Add the broth, frozen peas and carrots. Bring the liquid to a boil then reduce to simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Set the meat mixture aside. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Make the Mashed Potato Topping:
- Place the diced, peeled potatoes in a large pot. Cover the potatoes with water. Bring the water to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes in a colander. Return the potatoes to the hot pot. Let the potatoes rest in the hot pot for 1 minute to evaporate any remaining liquid.
- Add butter, half & half, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mash the potatoes and stir until all the ingredients are mixed together.
- Add the parmesan cheese to the potatoes. Stir until well combined.
Assemble the Rabbit Shepherds Pie:
- Pour the meat mixture into a 9x9 (or 7x11) inch baking dish. Spread it out into an even layer. Spoon the mashed potatoes on top of the meat. Carefully spread into an even layer.
- If the baking dish looks very full, place it on a rimmed baking sheet so that the filling doesn’t bubble over into your oven. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
If you can’t find frozen mixed peas and carrots, you could use ½ cup frozen peas and ½ cup frozen sliced carrots.