This intense base is the secret to the full-bodied richness of the stew. Roasting emphasizes the vegetables' best qualities, and they're simmered with red wine and plenty of herbs and aromatics.
Shepherd's pie is usually made with ground lamb, but it's easily riffed on. This ground chicken version adds ginger, habanero, lime, and Angostura bitters.
Swap out the sugar in standard sloppy joes for the carrots and caramelized onions in this turkey version, then nestle in eggs on mounds of garlicky spinach.