Non-traditional shepherd's pie

So I'm doing a little personal cheffing these days -- cooking for a few friends who appreciate well made food, but have little time to shop for and prepare it. It's nice to have a little extra income, and because they are adventurous and have relatively few dietary restrictions, I have free reign with the menu each week, basing what I make on the freshest ingredients I can find and any recipes that tickle my fancy.

Yesterday, I made one of my favorite dishes thus far -- a variation on Shepherd's Pie, in honor of the upcoming St. Patrick's Day festivities. Okay, well, maybe St. Patrick would turn up his nose at my version, since it does not, in fact, contain any potatoes. The recipe is an adaptation of one I found while sorting through my seemingly endless pile of old magazines, in this case the October 2012 issue of Better Homes and Gardens. The various components were so tasty as I was putting things together, that I made a couple extra little pielets (yes, I just invented a word) for Kenton and me. It's a bit of work to make, but the recipe makes 6-8 portions, so would be nice for a fancy dinner party.

Butternut and Chicken Sausage Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1" chunks
• 2 TBSP butter at room temp
• 3 TBSP olive oil + a bit more for greasing and cooking
• 1/4 cup or so freshly grated parmesan
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 large chicken sausages, chopped into bite-sized chunks
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• 1-2 cups mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 4-5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 cup veggie stock
• 1 pint canned/crushed tomatoes
• 2 large sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 2 large carrots, diced

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F.

Use a bit of olive oil to grease whatever dishes you're using (2 pie dishes or 6-8 ramekins, say) to bake the assembled Shepherd's Pie in, and place greased dishes on a cookie sheet.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a sprinkle of sale and the butternut chunks, then cover and cook til squash is tender (15 minutes or so). Drain, then mash with butter, 3 TBSP olive oil, and parmesan. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook onions and a splash for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add sausage, mushrooms, and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes or so until sausage bits are cooked through. Stir in broth, tomatoes, carrots, peas, and rosemary, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until liquid is a bit reduced and things are smelling very fragrant.

You may want to open a window at this point -- things are getting quite hot near the stove -- and while you're at it, maybe add a few splashes of red wine to the simmering meat and veggies. Go ahead and pour yourself a glass. I mean, the bottle's already open....

Season mixture with salt and pepper to taste (I did a few big grinds of black pepper and just a tiny sprinkle of salt), then divide among greased dishes. Top each dish with the mashed butternut mixture (and chopped scallions if you want to get fancy), then place on cookie sheets.

Bake, uncovered, in oven for 15-20 minutes, until top is lightly browned.

(If you have a second glass of wine and forget the pielets in your oven for a bit longer, they are no worse for the wear. They also store, unbaked, covered with tinfoil in the fridge for a few days with no problem.)

I'm still waiting for the elves to show up and do some of the dishes....