Sweet Potato & Guinness Shepherd's Pie

After attending the Sweet Potato Festival in Vardaman, MS last weekend, my mom brought home a 40 lb. box of sweet potatoes -- and if you aren't aware, that's a lot of damn sweet potatoes. Needless to say, I was able to procure a few of them for myself. I'd been debating how I wanted to prepare them, and for once, I was purely stumped. However, when I woke up this morning, the proverbial light blub illuminated.

When I was in Orlando last month, my friend Steven and I ate at a fantastic Irish pub-style restaurant in Downtown Disney called Raglan Road. (As a side note, the adjacent bar, Cooke's of Dublin, is also quite excellent, especially if Rob, a very charming Scotsman, is your bartender.) At the restaurant, I opted for the Fish & Chips (which were excellent), and Steven opted for the Shepherd's Pie. We tried a bit of each other's entrees, and I was utterly blown away by the Shepherd's Pie. One of the star ingredients of the dish was a house-made Guinness glaze (which they also serve with bread and olive oil as an appetizer). I vowed then and there to learn how to replicate these delicious wonders once I returned home. But until now, I'd become sidetracked in my quest.

I've seen Shepherd's Pies prepared with sweet potato topping, diverting from the original recipe, and I imagined that the flavor would pair beautifully with the rich sweetness of the Guinness glaze. I am proud to say that I was correct in my assumption. This is a perfect dish for a chilly autumn evening -- or any time, really. It's freakin' good.


Sweet Potato & Guinness Shepherd's Pie

Part I: Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Peel 4 medium sweet potatoes, and chop them into 1" cubes. Then, boil the potatoes on medium-high heat until they are fork-tender (about 10-15 minutes). Drain the water from the boiler, and add 1/2 stick of butter to the potatoes. Beat or whip the potatoes until they are smooth. Salt and pepper to taste. Reserve.

Part II: Guinness Glaze

In a boiler, bring a 12 oz. can or bottle of Guinness and 1/2 cup of brown sugar to a simmer (at about low-medium or medium heat). Allow the glaze mixture to simmer for around 30 minutes or until the mixture has reduced by half. Reserve.

Part III: Meat & Veggies

2 lbs. ground chuck
1 lb. ground sausage with sage
2 tbs. olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. rosemary (dried)
1 tsp. thyme (dried)
1 tsp. parsley (dried)
1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
Reserved Guinness glaze

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, bring the olive oil to medium-high heat, and add the carrots, onion, garlic, and herbs. Sautee the mixture for 10 minutes or until the vegetables start to become tender. Add the ground meat, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook the mixture for about 10-15 more minutes or until the meat is completely and evenly browned. Make sure to continually stir the mixture vigorously to ensure that all the meat browns and that none of it burns.

Once the meat is browned, drain the excess fat from the mixture, and return the meat and vegetables to the pot. Add about 3/4 cup of the Guinness glaze to the mixture (or more, if you would prefer a sweeter dish). Mix thoroughly. 

Part IV: Assembling the "Pie"

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour the meat and vegetable mixture into a large casserole dish. Then, top the mixture with the reserved mashed sweet potatoes. Make sure the potatoes are spread evenly on top of the mixture.

Bake the "pie" for about 15-20 minutes, or until the sweet potato topping has darkened a bit. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, and serve.

(The glorious fusion of Irish and Southern cookery!)

(An individual serving -- It might not look too pretty, but man oh man, this is some seriously good eats.)

Enjoy!