St. Patrick's Day -- Try some shepherd's pie

Food from the British Isles has never gotten much respect, and that's fine.

Boiling everything, after all, is no longer considered the height of culinary advancement. But if there's one thing the region is good for, it's comfort food. Traditional St. Patrick's Day dishes like corned beef and cabbage, bubbles and squeak and shepherd's pie will stick to your ribs and remind you that sometimes cooking is as simple as just putting meat and vegetables together.

There are endless variations for all three of those dishes. Here's the shepherd's pie recipe favored by On magazine. You'll notice the lack of precise measurements -- or any for that matter -- because this is the sort of cooking for which a strict recipe will just get in the way.

You will need:

* One casserole dish or deep baking pan

* Ground meat (we use lamb), enough to fill that pan about halfway up

* Potatoes, about the same amount (by weight) as your precooked meat

* Onions, chopped, 1/2 cup for each pound of ground meat

* Carrots, sliced, 1/2 cup for each pound of ground meat

* Corn (optional)

* Peas (optional)

* Grated cheese (optional)

* Butter or oil

Step 1: Cut your potatoes into quarters and boil them.

Step 2: While potatoes are boiling, begin to brown your ground meat. Add corn and peas to the mixture. Or don't; it's up to you.

Step 3: Sautee your onions and carrots in the butter or oil.

Step 4: Mash those potatoes; they should be boiled by now.

Step 5: When your meat is fully cooked and browned, drain it and mix in your vegetables.

Step 6: Spread the meat-and-vegetable mix in the bottom of your casserole dish or baking pan. You want it to come about halfway up the inside of the pan.

Step 7: Spread a layer of mashed potatoes atop the meat-and-vegetable layer.

Step 8: Bake in 400-degree oven until potatoes are golden-brown on top. (Add grated cheese about halfway through cooking process, if desired.)

Step 9: Cool for about 10 minutes, open a Guinness.

Step 10: Serve.

-- Pat Muir