Shepherd’s Pie

Ground Beef AND/OR Lamb (1.5-2 lbs)
Onion (1 medium, minced)
Carrots (2 medium, minced in food processor)
Garlic (4 large cloves, minced or pressed)
Ketchup (2 tbsps)
Flour (1/4 cup)
Worcestershire Sauce (2 tsps)
Frozen Peas (1/2 cup or more)
Canned Corn (1 can) OR Frozen Corn
Russet Potatoes (4 medium, cubed)
Heavy Cream (1/2 cup)
Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
Butter (2 tbsps)
Green Onions
Chives
Paprika
Parsley
Thyme
Rosemary
Salt
Pepper

Brown the ground beef in a skillet, breaking up the meat, until the meat is cooked. Set the meat aside. Keep some of the fat in the pan.

Meanwhile, get the water boiling for the potatoes. Add salt to the water. Bring to a boil then simmer until the potatoes are tender.

Saute the onions, carrots, and salt in the rendered fat until soft. Add in the garlic, ketchup, and flour. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, your choice of herbs, and green onions and cook until the mixture has thickened and the flour has absorbed, about 2 minutes. Turn of the heat and add the frozen peas and season with salt and pepper. Pat the meat in a layer of a casserole or baking dish. If you like a thick layer of meat, use a casserole; if you like a thinner layer, use a baking dish or roasting pan.

Now you need to mash the potatoes. Drain them and mash them, with or without skins–your preference. I used a potato ricer, because that produces the best result. Stir in butter, cream, salt, pepper, and chives until the potatoes are the desired consistency.

Over the layer of meat in the dish, add a layer of corn one kernel thick. Then carefully dollop mashed potatoes onto the dish and spread with a spatula. Sprinkle top with cheddar and paprika.

Bake at 450 until the edges are bubbling and browning for about 30 minutes.

Yummy Yummy Beef Stew

Most stews are pretty blah and bland. This one you can’t get enough of! Pretty simple too, if you have the ingredients on hand.

Dried Porcini Mushrooms, rinsed well (3/4 oz.)
Beef for stew (chuck), cut into 2-inch chunks (2.5 lbs)
Olive Oil (1/4 cup)
Carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch thick rounds (4 large)
Onions, cut into 1/8-inch slices (2 medium)
Potato, cut into 1-inch thick chunks OR Butternut Squash, cut into 1-inch thick chunks (1 potato or squash)
Garlic, sliced thin (8 cloves)
Tomato Paste (2 tbsps)
Flour (1/3 cup)
Red Wine (1 bottle)
Chicken Broth (1 cup)
Salt (1.5 tsps)
Pepper (1 tsp)

EQUIPMENT
Large cast iron pot/dutch oven
(This recipe is not suitable for a slow cooker)

Cover mushrooms with 1 cup hot tap water in small microwaveable bowl; cover with plastic wrap, cut a few steam vents, and microwave for 30 seconds. Let stand until mushrooms soften, at least five minutes (just leave them soaking until you’re ready for them). When it’s time to put them into the stew, you’ll need to take the mushrooms out of the liquid with a fork and chop them into pieces–you should have about a quarter cup. Then strain the liquid though a paper towel into a bowl–you’ll be adding this along with the mushrooms to the stew.

Adjust your oven rack to the lower middle position and pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.

Dry beef thoroughly with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil on med-high heat in the large heavy pot you’re going to use for the stew. When the oil is shimmering, add beef so it covers the bottom in one layer without crowding. Cook without moving the pieces until its well browned on both sides–this will take about 10 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned beef to a holding bowl and repeat with the rest of the beef and oil until it has all been browned. Leave the remaining oil in the pot.

Reduce heat to medium and add carrots, onions, garlic, potato/squash, and tomato paste to the pot you used for browning the beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, until light brown (about 2 minutes). Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Slowly add wine, gently scraping pot bottom to loosen browned bits. Add the broth, beef, and juices in bowl. Increase heat to med-high and bring to full simmer. Add mushrooms and their liquid.

Cover pot with lid and place in oven. Cook until beef is very soft, 2.5 to 3 hours. Let sit for 5 minutes after you take it out of the oven.

Inspired by: Cook’s Illustrated Daube Provencal

Potato Salad

Red Skin Potatoes, diced into 1/2 inch cubes (approx. 10 small potatoes)
Mayonnaise (approx. 1/2 cup)
Refrigerator Pickles
Onion, minced
Salt
Pepper
Optional:
Red Peppers

Boil potatoes until completely tender–around 15-20 minutes. Drain and cool. While cooling, mince onions and pickles. Add onions and pickles to bowl of cooled potatoes. Add mayonnaise, salt, and pepper to taste.

Sweet Potato Ravioli with Walnut Sauce

Filling:
Sweet Potato (2 medium)
Russet Potato (1 medium)
Butter (2 tbsps)
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan (3/4 cup)
Parsley
Walnuts, toasted, minced (1/2 cup)

Sauce:
Butter (3 tbsps)
Shallot, minced (1 small)
Garlic, minced (3 cloves)
Walnuts, toasted, chopped (3 tbsps)
Cream (1 cup)
Parmesan (3/4 cup)
Parsley
Salt (1 tbsp)
Pepper

Ravioli:
Egg (White or Beaten)
Wonton Wrappers (or homemade pasta)

Preheat oven to 375F. Pierce potatoes with fork. Bake 50-60 minutes or until completely tender.

Break potatoes in half and set one half down in ricer, flesh side down. Press potato through ricer into medium bowl; remove and discard skin. Repeat until all potatoes have been riced. Add butter, salt, pepper, cheese, parsley, and walnuts and mix well.

To prepare sauce, melt butter in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallet; saute 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute an additional 2 minutes. Stir in walnuts and saute 1 minute. Pour in cream and reduce heat to low, simmering for 4 minutes. Stir in cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.

To make ravioli, fill each wonton wrapper with 1 teaspoon filling, brush all sides with egg, and close sides to form a triangle. Use tines of fork to press edges of ravioli together to seal, making sure there are no air pockets. This process takes a while because you’ll be making enough raviolis for about 6 meals. Grab a partner to help speed up this part.

Fill large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon salt, and bring to a boil. Cook ravioli for 1 minute if you used wonton wrappers or 2 minutes for homemade pasta. Use slotted spoon to remove ravioli from water. Divide evenly among plates; spoon sauce over each portion.

Taken from: Michele Anna Jordan’s Lotsa Pasta

Wolfgang Puck’s Hearty Potato & Cheddar with Bacon Soup

Bacon, chopped (1/4 lb)
Butter (1/4 cup)
Leeks, chopped (2 small)
Onion, diced (1 large)
Carrot, peeled, chopped
Garlic, minced (1 clove)
Flour (1/2 cup)
Chicken Broth (6 cups)
Russet Potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (3 lbs)
Sharp Cheddar, grated (1 lb)
Salt (1/3 tsp)
Pepper (1/4 tsp)
Whipping Cream (1 cup)

In a large saucepan cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon, set aside. Drain all but 1 tablespoon drippings. Add butter and melt.

Add leeks, onion, carrots and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in flour. Gradually stir in chicken broth.

Add potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cook partially covered for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Place cheese in a large mixing bowl. Stir in about a quarter of the hot soup, mixing until smooth. Return cheese mixture to saucepan.

Gradually stir in heavy cream, salt and ground pepper. Continue to heat soup until almost boiling.

Taken from: http://www.wolfgangpuck.com/recipes/view/4063/Hearty-Potato—Cheddar-with-Bacon-Soup