1 bunch leeks, white parts diced into half circles
8 oz baby bella mushrooms, finely diced
3-4 medium carrots (about 1 cup), finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1.5 tbsp cornstarch, to make a slurry
2 cups beef stock
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
2 springs each of fresh rosemary
1/2 cup frozen peas
sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
Mashed Potato Topping Ingredients:
2.5 lb potatoes (russet or yukon gold)
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup whole milk, or more as needed
2 oz cream cheese (or 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt)
Sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
*You can also skip this step and just use store bought mashed potatoes for an easier recipe*
Directions
Peel potatoes, then cut them into evenly-sized chunks, about an inch or so thick, and transfer them to a large stockpot of boiling water. Stir in 1 tsp salt then cook on high for about 10-12 minutes, or until a knife is easily inserted into potato. Carefully drain all the water out when cooked through.
While potatoes are boiling, heat butter, milk, and 1 tsp salt together in a small saucepan until melted.
Add cooked potatoes to a large bowl and mash to your desired consistency. It’s fine if there are some small chunks, it makes the dish more rustic. Pour half of the melted butter mixture over the potatoes, and fold in with a spoon. Repeat with the remaining butter, and then again with the cream cheese. Don’t overmix, but feel free to add in more milk to reach desired consistency, if needed.
Taste the potatoes and season with extra salt if needed, then set aside until ready to use.
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, crumbling it with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Transfer the cooked beef to a separate plate and set aside, reserving any grease in the sauté pan that it has left behind.
To the same pan, add the leeks and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the carrots, celery, mushrooms, garlic and sauté for 5-7 more minutes, stirring until softened.
Stir in the stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, rosemary springs, and frozen peas until well combined, followed by the cornstarch slurry.
Continue cooking until mixture reaches a simmer, the reduce to medium-low for another 5-7 minutes.
Remove and discard the bay leaves and rosemary sprigs, then stir in the cooked meat. Taste and season the mixture with salt and pepper to your preference.
Transfer the filling mixture to a 9×13 inch baking dish and spread out in an even layer. Spoon the mashed potatoes on top and carefully spread them out in an even layer as well.
Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are lightly golden and the filling has started to bubble around the edges. If you would like them a bit more browned, you can turn on the broiler for an extra 2-3 minutes.
Remove the baking dish from the oven and sprinkle with extra herbs, like parsley or microgreens, if you would like. Cheers!
