Paleo Sheperds Pie

Made this last week for my family and I have to say that all but one loved it.  That is a four out of five.  I consider that a success!  It was my boy who is not a cauliflower lover so he just ate the meat mixture.  But, don't let the cauliflower stop you if you too are not a lover of cauliflower.  Pureed with some butter and it is delicious!  

This was a dish I ate a lot growing up and I missed very much.  So glad to find this Paleo version. I'm sure it would also be delicious with mashed sweet potatoes on top.  Be sure to taste the recipe as you prepare it.  Because of the broth and tomato paste this can increase the salt content in a hurry.  So you have to be sure when adding the salt to do it slowly and taste at the same time.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 pkg frozen cauliflower, cooked and drained
• 2 tablespoons fat (lard, tallow, ghee, coconut oil, etc)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 celery ribs, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound ground beef, lamb, or pork
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons fat (lard, tallow, ghee, etc)
• OPTIONAL BUT NOT WHOLE 30 APPROVED - ½ cup shredded grass fed cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 2-3 quart casserole dish and set aside.
2. Cook frozen cauliflower according to package directions and drain.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of fat in a large skillet or saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic and cook until beginning to soften, around 5 minutes.
4. Add the ground meat to the pan and cook until browned. Add beef broth as necessary to keep the mixture wet. Add the tomato paste, parsley and season with salt and pepper. Let simmer while you prepare the cauliflower topping.
5. To make the topping, put the drained and cooked cauliflower into a blender or food processor.  Add two Tbl of fat and season with salt and pepper.  Puree with a stick blender until smooth.
6. To assemble, spread the meat mixture on the bottom of the dish. Top with the cauliflower mixture and smooth with a spoon. Cover with shredded cheese, if using.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is brown and bubbly. Serve warm.

Adapted from Sheperds Pie with Cauliflower Topping