• 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
• 2 teaspoons (10ml) unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 ½ pounds (680g), lean ground beef*
• 1 cup (150g) green beans, sliced in thirds
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) tomato puree
• 1 cup (240ml) beef broth
• 1 cup (130g) fresh or frozen peas
• sea salt
• freshly ground pepper
• fresh parsley
  

Place sweet potatoes into a large pot of water just enough to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until fork tender.  Drain and return to the pot to steam dry.  Add butter and mash till smooth.  Season with salt & pepper.  Set aside.

Pre-heat oven to 400F (205C).

In a large skillet, heat oil to medium-high. Add the onions, celery and carrots and sauté for 4-5 minutes to soften.  Add the garlic, thyme and green beans and cook for another 2 minutes.  Add the ground beef and brown the meat, crumbling it with a wooden spoon until no longer pink. Drain any excess fat.

Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, tomato purée and broth until fully blended.  Simmer for 2-3 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Fold in the peas and cook for 1-2 minutes more.  Place the mixture into an oven-to-table dish.  Spread the sweet potato evenly over the top, covering it completely.  

Bake for 20-30 minutes until the top is slightly browned. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.  

*Chef Note:  You can replace the beef with ground chicken, turkey or lamb.