Turkey Shepherd’s Pie

For the mashed potato topping:
Chop the red potatoes in half, leaving the peel on (peel-in mashed taters are wunderbar!).

Bring a full pot of water to a boil and add the red potatoes. Allow potatoes to cook until they’re tender yet still firm when poked with a fork, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Strain the water off the potatoes and allow potatoes to cool slightly. Place the potatoes in a large bowl and mash them with a potato masher. I like leaving the potatoes chunky for shepherd’s pie, but if you prefer smooth potatoes, you can also do this process in a blender. Add the olive oil and cheese and mash to incorporate. Salt the potatoes to taste. If the potatoes are too dry, add some milk to reach your desired consistency.

Set potatoes aside.

For the filling:
In a large pot, sauté the onion in olive oil over medium heat until it begins to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and sauté until onion begins turning brown, about 8 minutes.

Add the garlic and continue to sauté about 2 minutes before adding the celery and green beans.

Cook about 3 to 5 minutes before adding the ground turkey. Push veggies to the sides of the pot and add the ground turkey. Allow the turkey to brown but avoid cooking it all the way through just yet. (You can also brown the turkey in a separate skillet if there is not enough room in the pot to adequately brown the meat).

Add the Guinness and balsamic vinegar and allow the mixture to come to a gentle boil.

Make a roux in a small separate saucepan. Heat the butter over medium until it’s melted. Add the brown rice flour and whisk it into the butter until completely smooth. Begin adding the chicken broth a little at a time (about 1/8 cup), allowing the mixture to thicken and bubble between additions. Continue adding the chicken broth and keep the mixture at a gentle boil, whisking constantly until all the broth is all incorporated. The mixture should be thick and creamy.

Add the roux in with the meat/vegetables. Stir to incorporate and allow the mixture to return to a gentle boil.

Add in the chard leaves and cook until the vegetables are all soft (but not mushy!) and the turkey meat is cooked all the way through. This took me about another 10 minutes, but depending on the size of your veggies, this could take longer!

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

Pour the stew into a casserole dish. Spread the mashed potatoes over the stew evenly.

Bake in the oven until the stew begins to bubble and the potatoes crisp up on the tops, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve in bowls with a hearty slice of Irish soda bread!