AMERICAN SHEPHERD'S PIE (COWHERD'S PIE)

Steps:

• Make the Mashed Potatoes:.
• Peel the potatoes and cut into a large dice. Place in pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to a simmer, cooking the potatoes until a fork inserted in a potato dice causes it to break apart. Drain the potatoes and then return to the pot, adding the cream and butter. Mash the potatoes until smooth then season with the salt and pepper. Add the egg yolk, stirring until well combined. Set the mashed potatoes aside.
• Make the Meat Filling.
• (If you are a confident kitchen multi-tasker, you can prepare the meat filling while the potatoes are cooking to decrease the total prep time on the meal).
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat a large saute pan or dutch oven (for a one-pot meal) over medium-high heat. Add the oil, allow it to heat for a moment then add the onion and carrots. Saute the veggies about four minutes, or until the onions just begin to brown. Stir in the crushed garlic, then crumble in the ground beef and stir to brown. Cook the meat 3-5 minutes, or until the beef is cooked through. Season with the salt and pepper, then sprinkle on the flour, tossing to coat the meat. Cook the floured meat for another minute. Stir in the tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme. Allow the mix to come to a boil, stirring to keep the mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.
• If you prepared the meat in a dutch oven or similar casserole you may leave the meat mixture in that dish and continue with the recipe. Otherwise, to bake the dish in a casserole pan spread the meat mixture evenly into an 11" by 7" glass baking dish. The glass baking dish is prone to boil-overs so set it on a foil- or parchment-lined cookie sheet when baking.
• Spread the peas and corn on top of the meat mixture then gently top with the mashed potatoes, starting at the edges and smoothing the potatoes towards the middle of the dish with an offset metal or rubber spatula.
• Place the casserole on a rack in the middle of the oven and backe for 25 minutes, or until the potatoes begin to brown. Remove to a cooling rack for 15 minutes before serving.