Shepard's Pie

I absolutely love Shepard's Pie; it is the quintessential British comfort food, and with a Mother straight from the United Kingdom, I have had the best of the best homemade Shepard's Pie. This is my Mother's recipe with a sophisticated and healthy twist with the substitution of ground turkey and the addition of fresh vegetables. I also prefer to bake my Shepard's Pie in individual ramekins; so much easier to serve, and if one has guests that have specific dietary preferences it is so very easy to accommodate. 

Ingredients

Meat Filling:
1 tablespoon olive oil 
1 small onion
3 cloves of garlic, minced
8 minced sage sprigs, four minced and 4 held aside to garnish
2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon flour 
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey 
1/2 cup frozen peas 
1/2 cup frozen chopped carrots

Sweet Mashed Potato Topping: 
2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and diced 
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1/2 cup buttermilk 
1 tablespoon butter 
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons butter

Preparation 
Boil peeled and diced sweet potatoes until tender. 
Add agave nectar, buttermilk, butter,cinnamon and salt and pepper to taste and mash until smooth. Set aside.
In a large pan saute in the oil the onions, garlic, and ground turkey until cooked throughout; approximately 5-7 minutes.
Add curry, salt, pepper and chopped sage leaves. 
Sprinkle flour over the turkey mix and pour in the buttermilk.
Add the peas and carrots. 
In a buttered 8x8 casserole pan (or large individual ramekins) lay meat mixture down and then place the mashed sweet potatoes over the meat.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, until the top is appropriately browned.
Let stand for 5 minutes prior to serving.
Garnish with sage sprigs to serve.

Serves: 4 to 6