Turkey Shepherd's Pie

This is a fantastic way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers. I highly recommend it!

A few tips:

• If using gravy instead of some of the stock, make sure to not add too much salt to the sauce - it will reduce and then become too salty. Ye be warned!
• If you use the stock instead of the gravy, you'll need a bit more flour when adding the flour to appropriately thicken
• Dark turkey stock is just like dark chicken stock, except made with a turkey. It's pretty tasty stuff.
• Two pounds of mashed potatoes may be too much, but (a) is there really such a thing as too much potatoes??, and (b) you can just remove some.
  
• If you're feeling bold, add the brandy separate from the stock mixture and flambe it!
  

On to the recipe! This is a combination of two other recipes and my own ideas.

1 1/4 cups dark turkey or chicken stock
1 cup leftover turkey or chicken gravy (or an additional 1 cup stock)
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp ground black pepper
Dash hot sauce
3 Tbsp brandy
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 cup chopped yellow onions (1 medium-to-large onion)
2 carrots, chopped 1/4 inch rounds
1 rib celery, chopped into 1/4 inch slices
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour (or 3 if using stock instead of gravy)
1 bay leaf
1 cup fresh or frozen peas, thawed
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 lb leftover cooked turkey, cut into bite-size pieces
3 Tbsp parsley
1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary
2 lbs leftover mashed potatoes
3/4 cup white cheddar, grated (optional, but delicious!)

Preheat the oven to 400.

Mix together the stock, gravy, milk, Worcestershire, black pepper, hot sauce, and brandy. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a 12-inch sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring, for 5-7 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until starting to color, about 2-3 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Gradually add the stock mixture and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes (less if using gravy b/c it will already be a bit thicker).

Add the peas, corn, turkey, parsley, thyme, and rosemary, and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and remove the bay leaf. Top with the mashed potatoes, smoothing the top. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and bake until browned and bubbly on top, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.