Humble Pie

On cold nights like we've been having lately, I always get the urge to cook hearty, filling, meaty dinners - things you might order (along with a few pints) in an ancient pub on a drizzly London afternoon (I'm trying to paint a picture for you here). You know what I mean- foods like meatloaf, or stew, or beef Wellington. Sadly, the Brits aren't really known for their "health food," and if I actually ate that way every day, I would find myself with a right-large arse, mates (sorry- just getting in the spirit of things).
Happily, in the January issue of Martha Stewart Living, there are some ideas for healthier versions of some traditional comfort foods, and among them was a gem of a recipe for one of my all-time favorites- Shepherd's Pie (made with ground turkey instead of beef or lamb!). After going mental and exclaiming, "Blimey! This is bloody brilliant!," I set to making it for dinner. I halved it (the original serves 8) and I couldn't resist the urge to tweak the recipe a little bit, adding back just a few of the unhealthy elements (butter, please), to satisfy my own hankerings. Here is what I ended up with - It will make your flat smell heavenly, blokes will queue up to eat it, and I promise very little of it will end up in the rubbish bin. Tops!

Healthier Turkey Shepherd's Pie

You Will Need:
2-1/2 lbs potatoes (like russets), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/4 cup skim or low-fat milk
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lb lean ground turkey
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
4 teaspoons cornstarch
3/4 cup frozen peas

What You Do:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Make the topping: Place potatoes in a medium saucepan, cover with water by 2 inches, and bring to a simmer. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid, and mash potatoes (if you don't have a masher, and whisk will do in a pinch), with yogurt, milk, and butter. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. Make the filling: Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, carrots and garlic, stirring often, until tender 10-12 minutes.
3. Add turkey and cook, breaking up large pieces, for 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder and season with salt and pepper. Stir cornstarch into cooking liquid, and add to turkey mixture. Boil for 1 minute. Stir in peas. Transfer mixture to a 1-quart baking dish and top with mashed potatoes. Bake until bubbling and top is browned, about 3o minutes.