Traditional Irish Shepherd's Pie [Hearty]

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1. 1Step 1: Gather the ingredients for the mashed potatoes (butter, milk, sour cream/Greek yogurt, salt, pepper, and the beaten egg) and measure everything out. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the butter in a separate dish for later.
2. 2Step 2: Add the peeled and chopped potatoes to a medium saucepan. Add cold water just to cover, along with the 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Remove the lid, reduce to a simmer, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain immediately and let the potatoes sit in the colander for 2 minutes to let excess water drip off. Transfer the potatoes back to the saucepan.
3. 3Step 3: While the potatoes are cooking, prep all the vegetables for the filling (onion, garlic, mushrooms, thyme, and rosemary). Also measure out the remaining ingredients (tomato paste, flour, red wine, and broth). Leave the frozen veggies in the freezer until the last minute.
4. 4Step 4: Returning to the cooked and drained potatoes in the saucepan, add the 3 tablespoons of butter, a portion of the milk, sour cream/Greek yogurt, 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt, and the black pepper. Use a potato masher to mash until it starts getting smooth. Once half mashed, add the remaining milk and continue mashing until smooth. Then slowly stir in the whisked egg. The potatoes should be thick but fairly loose, as they will thicken in the oven. If needed, add another tablespoon or two of milk to loosen it up more. Cover with the lid and set aside.
5. 5Step 5: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. 6Step 6: Heat a 12 inch, oven safe skillet with high sides over medium high heat (like a cast iron skillet). Alternatively, you can cook the filling in a skillet and transfer it to a separate pie dish or casserole dish for baking. Once the pan is hot, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the pan (omit if using a fattier ground meat), and add the ground meat, breaking it up into small crumbles. Season with the 1/2 teaspoon each of kosher salt and pepper.
7. 7Step 7: Once the ground meat is mostly cooked, add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms to the pan. Sauté for another 5 minutes, or until the veggies are tender. Add the thyme and rosemary and sauté for another minute, or until fragrant. If using a fattier meat and there is a lot of grease, drain some of it off at this time; 1 to 2 tablespoons of grease is okay, but you don't want it swimming in it. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute, until the tomato paste turns a darker color. Stir in the flour and cook another minute, stirring constantly.
8. 8Step 8: Add the red wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any bits stuck to the pan. Allow the wine to come to a simmer and simmer for 3 minutes. The alcohol smell should cook off, leaving behind only the flavor, and the wine has reduced.
9. 9Step 9: Add the broth and worcestershire sauce to the pan. Allow the liquid to come to a simmer and simmer for 3 minutes, or until the liquid has thickened and holds its shape for a second when you scrape a spoon through the mixture. At this time add the 3/4 to 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper (each) and taste. Adjust the seasoning as needed. Stir in the frozen peas and carrots and corn. Spread the mixture into an even layer, preparing for the mashed potatoes. If using a separate baking dish, transfer the filling to that dish now.
10. 10Step 10: Spoon the potatoes on top of the filling (an ice cream scoop helps for even distribution) and use the back of a spoon to spread them out evenly to the edges. Melt the 1 tablespoon of reserved butter and pour it on top of the potatoes.
11. 11Step 11: Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling out on the edges.
12. 12Step 12: If the potatoes didn't get very browned, you can pop them under the broiler for 1 to 3 minutes just until the potatoes are browned and have a slight char on the edges – keep a close eye on it.
13. 13Step 13: Allow the pie to rest for 15 minutes.
14. 14Step 14: If desired, garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
15. 15Step 15: Use a serving spoon to scoop out portions of the shepherd's pie onto serving plates. If serving to a crowd, it's nice to put the whole pie on the table and allow guests to serve themselves. This is a hearty meal-in-one, but you can also serve it with a simple side salad to lighten the meal up a bit.
16. 16Step 16: This meal re-heats great, though it loses a little bit of the sauciness. Allow the pie to cool completely before transferring to airtight containers. Use multiple containers (or one extra large one) to keep the pie in an even layer instead of mixing up the potato and filling. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week. Re-heat gently in the microwave.