Shepherd's Pie with a Fresh Garden Salad

1Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).

2Heat olive oil (1 tablespoon) in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion (1 medium) and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

3Add the minced garlic (2 cloves) and cook for another 1 minute until fragrant.

4Add the ground lamb (1 pound) to the skillet, breaking it apart with a spoon. Cook until browned and no longer pink, about 7-8 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.

5Stir in the diced carrots (1 cup) and cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly tender.

6Add the tomato paste (2 tablespoons), beef broth (1 cup), Worcestershire sauce (1 teaspoon), thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir well and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes until thickened and the vegetables are cooked through.

7Stir in the frozen peas (1 cup) and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

8Transfer the meat mixture to a baking dish, spreading it evenly.

9Top the meat mixture with the prepared mashed potatoes (4 cups), spreading them evenly over the top. Dot with butter (2 tablespoons) and sprinkle Parmesan cheese if using.

10Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling around the edges.

11While the shepherd's pie is baking, prepare the salad. In a large bowl, combine mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, (½ cup) cucumber (¼ cup), and red onion (¼ cup).

12In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil (1 tablespoon), red wine vinegar (1 tablespoon), Dijon mustard (1 teaspoon), salt, and pepper to make the vinaigrette.

13Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss gently to coat.

14Remove the shepherd's pie from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

15Serve each portion of shepherd's pie alongside a generous helping of the fresh garden salad.