Moroccan Shepherds Pie

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I can't let the first day of fall pass without posting something appropriately autumnal. Nor can I lie to you. The thermostat here reads 90 degrees and the temperature is forecast to rise, so I won't be making this today. I did, however, make it last Saturday when the weather here was really nasty. That led me to an old contest recipe and a dinner featuring this Moroccan shepherd's pie. When you see the spicing, you'll see how this old classic got its new name. The recipe calls for a topping of sweet potatoes or squash and we have a lot of that in the house right now. I thought this would be a great way to make a dent in the supply. Now, you may like the recipe or you may hate the recipe, but whatever your verdict, I think you'll agree it's not ho-hum. Here's my Moroccan shepherd's pie.

Moroccan Shepherd's Pie...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:

Sweet Potato Topping:

2 pounds peeled sweet potatoes, cut in 1-inch cubes

1/3 cup low-fat sour cream

1/3 cup chopped scallions

Salt and pepper to taste

Lamb Filling:

2 pounds ground lamb

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup finely minced yellow onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 cup chopped parsley

1 cup petite peas, thawed if frozen

1 cup diced carrots, thawed if frozen

1/2 cup dried raisins or cranberries

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 large egg, beaten

2 tablespoons chopped scallions (green tops only)

Directions:

1) To make the sweet potato: Place sweet potatoes in a medium (2 to 3-quart) saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat; cook for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain. Return potatoes to saucepan; mash with a potato masher. Add sour cream; beat with a wooden spoon to blend. Fold in scallions. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover pan. Set aside.

2) To make the lamb filling: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mist an 8 x 8 x 2-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place lamb in a large mixing bowl; add cumin, coriander, cinnamon , salt and pepper and mix with a wooden spoon until well blended. Place lamb in a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet; cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to break meat apart, until meat is brown, about 10 minutes. Scrape meat into a large bowl. Add oil to skillet in which meat cooked. Stir in onions; cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Fold in parsley, peas and carrots and cook 5 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Stir in cranberries and vinegar. Add onion mixture to lamb. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add egg; stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate.

3) To assemble: Scrape lamb into prepared casserole dish. Spoon potatoes over filling; spray top with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 45 minutes, or until heated through and potatoes begin to brown. Let rest 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with green onion tops. Yield: 8 servings.

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