is it weird that i’ve never had a sheperd’s pie? well, not until i made this dish of amazingness that i devoured in one sitting. i pretty much loved it, and especially loved that my variation is free of carbs. rather than loading on the mashed potatoes, i opted for mashed cauliflower, and since i have no idea how the “original” version tastes, i thought it was rather fantastic with cauliflower mash. i added a bit of raw cheddar to my mash (less than 1/4 cup), but you can definitely omit it if you avoid dairy. enjoy!
ingredients
1 tbsp coconut oil
6 medium carrots, halved lengthwise, quartered, and thinly sliced
6 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 lb ground buffalo
1 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into small florets
salt & pepper
directions
heat oven to 450˚ F.
start by prepping the cauliflower mash: in a medium pot, bring salted water to a boil. add cauliflower florets, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. drain water, reserving approximately 1/4 cup. transfer cauliflower to food processor and puree until smooth, adding the reserved water until a smooth consistency. season with additional salt if necessary.
heat a heavy pot over medium-high heat and add coconut oil. add carrots, celery, onion, and thyme. cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. add the almond flour and tomato paste; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add buffalo and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink. add 1 cup water, bringing it to a boil, then simmer for about one minute.
pour meat and vegetable filling into a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. spread cauliflower mash across top with a spatula, and if you’re feeling creative, use a fork to make decorative peaks. if using cheese, sprinkle on top of the mash before placing in oven. bake until topping is lightly browned and filling is bubbling rapidly, about 20 minutes .
