1 large yellow onion, diced medium
2 large carrots cut into ¾-inch pieces
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 pound ground beef (or lamb)
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 cup dark (porter) beer
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ cup frozen peas
1 large russet potato (¾ pound) very thinly sliced
1 Preheat oven to 400⁰.
2 In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrots and cook, stirring often, until onion is soft, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the tomato paste. Add meat and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until almost cooked through, 3 minutes. Add thyme and beer and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring frequently, until slightly reduced, 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir to combine. Add 1 cup water and cook until mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Stir in peas and season with salt and pepper.
3 Transfer mixture to a 2-quart baking dish. Top with potatoes, overlapping slices. Season potatoes with salt and pepper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons butter. Bake until potatoes are browned around edges and tender when pierced with a knife, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.
NOTE: To store, let cool completely, cover with foil and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat, covered in a 350⁰ oven until warmed through.
Serves 6
