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Would You Rather Eat Pot Pie or Shepherd's Pie?

partysugar — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 01:30:37 -0700

Source: Flickr Users gtrwndr87 and randomduck

Shepherd's Pie Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 03:30:45 -0800

If you live in a cool weather clime, you're probably sick of Winter and willing it to go away. But why not embrace it? There's only one time to appreciate chilly climate favorites, and that's right now - when they're the most comforting. The classic English pub dish known as shepherd's pie is the kind of fare that's most relished when you're bundled up and need a remedy for the cold.

These two variations are both satisfying - yet they couldn't be more different. The beginner version, made with beef, employs the help of prepared mashed potatoes, and takes less than half an hour; the expert version is made with lamb, and epitomizes shepherd's pie at its best. To see both cottage pie recipes, read more.

Beginner Shepherd's Pie
From Real Simple

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1/3 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
8 ounces frozen mixed vegetables (such as carrots, peas, and corn), thawed
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded Cheddar (optional)
1 16-ounce package refrigerated or frozen and thawed mashed potatoes

Directions

Heat oven to 400° F.
Place the beef in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat until no trace of pink remains, about 5 minutes. Spoon off and discard any fat. Stir in the ketchup and Worcestershire. Add the vegetables and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Spoon the beef mixture into a baking dish. Mix the cheese (if using) with the potatoes in a medium bowl. Spread the potatoes over the beef and bake until heated through, 10 minutes. Divide among individual plates.

Serves 4.

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Expert Shepherd's Pie
From Gourmet

Ingredients

Lamb and vegetable filling:
10 oz pearl onions
4 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 lb boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup beef broth
1 cup water
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
5 carrots, cut diagonally into 1/3-inch-thick slices
2 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Mashed potato topping:
2 lb russet (baking) potatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Special equipment: a wide 3-quart heavy flameproof casserole (about 2 inches deep; not glass); a potato ricer or a food mill fitted with medium disk

Directions

Prepare filling: Blanch onions in a 2- to 3-quart pot of boiling salted water 1 minute, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of cold water to stop cooking. Drain onions and peel, trimming root ends with a paring knife.
Wash leek slices in a bowl of water, agitating them, then lift out and drain in a medium-mesh sieve.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Pat lamb dry and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Put lamb and 3 tablespoons flour in a sealable plastic bag, then seal bag and shake to coat lamb. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in casserole dish over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then brown half of lamb, turning, about 6 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon garlic and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Transfer browned lamb and garlic to a plate with a slotted spoon and repeat with remaining lamb and tablespoon garlic (do not add more butter).
Add wine to casserole dish and deglaze by boiling over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 1 minute, then stir in tomato paste and boil, stirring, until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
Add broth, water, thyme, browned lamb with any juices that have accumulated on plate, onions, leeks, carrots, turnips, remaining teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over moderately high heat, then remove from heat.
Cover dish with lid or foil and braise lamb and vegetables in middle of oven, stirring once or twice, until lamb is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Season with salt and pepper.
Make topping while filling cooks: Peel and quarter potatoes. Cover potatoes with salted cold water (1 tablespoon salt for every 4 quarts water) by 1 inch in a 4-quart heavy pot, then simmer, uncovered, until very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain in a colander.
Bring cream, milk, and butter to a simmer in same pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until butter is melted, then remove from heat and stir in salt and pepper.
Force hot potatoes through ricer into hot cream mixture and stir gently to combine. Keep warm, covered.
Assemble and broil pie: Preheat broiler. Make a beurre manié by stirring together remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter and remaining 2 tablespoons flour in a small bowl to form a paste. Spoon 1 cup cooking liquid from casserole dish into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Whisk in beurre manié, then simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Gently stir sauce into lamb and vegetables.
Spoon potatoes over lamb and vegetables and spread evenly with a fork, making a pattern with tines. Broil about 3 inches from heat until top is golden, about 3 minutes.

Serves 6.

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52 Weeks of Baking: Two Turkey Pies

YumSugar — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 10:27:19 -0800

I don't know about you guys, but after a week of cooking and prepping for Thanksgiving, I am looking forward to a few days of rest and relaxation. That said, I've decided to cheat a little bit on this week's baking project. I wanted to figure out a way to use all the turkey leftovers, without causing a lot of work. So, instead of making my own pastry crust, I decided to pick up two premade crusts and turn them into two different turkey pot pies.

I only have one pie dish, so I put half of the mixture in it and inverted one of the pie crusts as a top crust. For the other pie, I put in half the mixture and topped with leftover mashed potatoes, creating a shepherd's pie.

Plan now for Friday's leftovers, pick up two extra pie crusts and call it a day. To get the easy recipe, read more

Turkey Pot Pie or Turkey Shepherd's Pie
From The Culinary Institute of America adapted by Boston Globe with additions by YumSugar

3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups turkey or chicken broth, heated to boiling
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 Yukon Gold or Yellow Finn potato, diced
4 cups diced cooked turkey
1 cup green peas (thawed if frozen - try not to use canned, they will be too mushy)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 nine-inch prepared pie crusts, frozen puff pastry sheets (thawed), or other topping such as leftover mashed potatoes

Note: This recipe is for four individual pot pies, however I used the filling to make two larger sized pies: one shepherd and one regular.

In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until tender.
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the broth little by little, whisking well to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring often, for 15 minutes or until thickened. Add salt and pepper.
Set the oven at 350 degrees. Have on hand 4 individual baking dishes (about 2 cup capacity each).
Add the carrot, celery, and potato to the broth mixture. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Add the turkey and peas and remove from the heat. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper, if you like. Stir in the parsley.
Spoon the filling into the dishes. Cut pie crust or puff pastry dough to the appropriate size and shape of the dishes to cover the filling. Cuts vents in the crust and press the edges of the dough onto the dishes to seal them.
Or alternatively, spoon filling into prepared pie crusts and spread leftover mashed potatoes on top.
Set the pies on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake them for 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is golden.

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Monday's Leftovers: Shepherd's Pie

YumSugar — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 00:07:32 -0800

Sunday Dinners can be quite fantastic, but sometimes you just don't want to eat it again the next day. That is why I've created Monday's Leftovers. Every Sunday I'll show you a great new Sunday Dinner and on Monday I'll tell you what to do with the rest of it.

Yesterday's dinner was Pot Roast with Vegetables and luckily there are many different things you can do with the leftovers. There's roast beef sandwiches, stew, soups, fajitas and my new favorite, shepherd's pie. For the recipe, read more

Shepherd's Pie
From Diana Rattray at Southern U.S. Cuisine

INGREDIENTS:
* 1 large onion, quartered and sliced
* 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
* 2 cups diced leftover roast beef
* 2 cups brown or beef gravy, leftover or prepared from mix
* 1/2 cup sliced or diced cooked carrots
* 1 cup frozen peas, cooked
* salt and pepper, to taste
* 1 egg yolk
* 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes

PREPARATION:
Melt butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat; add onions. Sauté onions until tender; add diced beef, gravy, carrots, and peas. Heat through; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to baking dish.

Beat the egg yolk into potatoes and spoon potatoes over the shepherd's pie meat and vegetables (press potatoes through a pastry tube, if desired). Bake shepherd's pie at 400° for about 30 minutes, or until mashed potatoes are browned and gravy is bubbling.

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Monday's Leftovers: Pastelón de Papa

YumSugar — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 08:00:03 -0800

With the New Year approaching, perhaps you'll embrace the idea of cooking new things. If your freezer's still stocked with leftover ground beef, why not pass up the tacos and spaghetti in favor of this Pastelón de Papa?

Popular everywhere from Puerto Rico to Peru, this Latin classic is a cross between shepherd's pie and potato casserole. The fact that it's a self-contained meal makes it a plus for eating on the run. To get the recipe, read more.

Pastelón de Papa
From Every Day With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

4 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons melted
2/3 cup milk
2 large eggs
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 large green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped green olives
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup frozen string beans, thawed
Paprika, for dusting

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the potatoes in a large pot of cold water and boil until tender, about 15 minutes; drain. Add the stick of butter and the milk and mash. Set aside.
Place the eggs in a small saucepan and add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat, cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Remove the eggs and place in a bowl of ice water; when cool, peel and chop.
In a large skillet over high heat, brown the beef, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Stir in the bell pepper and onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, the olives, cilantro, tomato paste, and salt and pepper to taste.
In a 9-by-13-inch pan, layer half the mashed potatoes, the ground-beef mixture, string beans and chopped eggs. Top with the remaining mashed potatoes, brush with the melted butter and dust with paprika. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes.

Serves 6.

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All the News That's Fit to Eat - Jan. 23

partysugar — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:21:31 -0800

Move over wine bars, tequila-tasting bars are taking over Los Angeles. - Los Angeles Times
The frozen-yogurt trend has finally arrived in the Bay Area. - San Francisco Chronicle
Would you pay $20,000 for the perfect cup of coffee? - The New York Times
To make a delicious cocktail, splurge on expensive liquors. It really does make a difference. - Washington Post
Cognac is making a hip comeback. - Boston Globe
In case you haven't noticed British cooks are the next best thing since sliced bread. - Chicago Tribune
Who knew you could make the classic, comfort dish shepherd's pie without all the weight?- The Sacramento Bee
Make your happy hour healthy by drinking these alcohols with fewer calories. - FitSugar

Come Party With Me: St. Patrick's Day - Menu (Main)

partysugar — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 10:58:41 -0700

Friday is my half birthday and Saturday is St. Patrick's Day, so I am celebrating 2-parties-in-1 with a pre going out dinner on Saturday night. I've invited my friends to join me for an Irish inspired meal before we head out to the bars for a wee bit of St. Patrick's Day shenanigans (I said that in my best Irish accent). Since the evening will most likely involve a lot of beer drinking, I'm serving up generously filling dishes. I'll have a corned beef and swiss appetizer just out of the oven for when my friends arrive. To see what we'll all be sitting down to eat together, read more

To get the meal started I'll have cold plates of smoked salmon and watercress salad with a lemon-caper vinaigrette for each of my guests. Next I'll dazzle them with a variation of the classic shepherd's pie, a blarney stone cottage pie. On the side I'll have slices of my dad's (the recipe is written in his own words-thanks dad!) famous irish soda bread fresh from the oven.

Smoked Salmon and Watercress Salad with a Lemon-Caper Vinaigrette
From Emeril Lagasse

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups pumpernickel bread, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked white pepper
1 teaspoon minced shallots
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons chopped capers with their liquid
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
12 slices thinly sliced Irish smoked salmon (about 8 ounces)
1 pound watercress, stemmed, washed and spun dry
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 hard-cooked eggs, finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Heat a 10-inch saute pan over medium-high heat, and add the butter and olive oil to the pan. Once the butter is melted, add the pumpernickel cubes to the pan and toss to coat with the butter and oil. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the white pepper. Continue to cook and toss the bread until all the butter and oil have been absorbed. Place the pan in the oven and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until the bread is crisp, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven and allow to cool before using.
Make the vinaigrette by combining the shallots, garlic, mustard, honey, capers, lemon juice, champagne vinegar, dill and parsley in a non-reactive mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper.
While whisking, add the extra-virgin olive oil in a thin, steady stream until the vinaigrette is well combined and partially emulsified. Set the vinaigrette aside while you prepare the salad.
On 4 large, chilled entree plates, place three slices of the salmon in a triangular pattern along the edges of the plates.
In a large non-reactive bowl, place the watercress and the red onion. Season lightly with salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Toss the salad to mix the watercress and onion, and add about 1/2 cup of the vinaigrette to the salad. Toss lightly to combine.
Divide the salad among the 4 plates, and divide the croutons among the plates. Garnish the salad with the chopped eggs and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

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Blarney Stone Cottage Pie
From Razzle Dazzle Recipes

4 potatoes, peeled, and diced
1/4 cup milk
black pepper, to taste
1 cup shredded Irish cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon paprika
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 lb. lean ground sirloin
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
1/2 cup green peas
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley
3/4 cup beef stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
salt & black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoon cold water

Boil potatoes until tender. Mash together with milk, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese till smooth, season with salt and pepper; keep warm.
Preheat oven to 350.
Heat a heavy, nonstick skillet, at least 10 inches in diameter, over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and saute, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink. Pour contents of pan into a bowl and set aside.
Add onion, garlic & bell pepper and cook until veggies are limp, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add drained meat, carrots, peas, tomato, parsley, beef stock, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.
Simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.
Dissolve cornstarch in water and stir into meat mixture.
Spoon into an ungreased 9x11x2-inch baking dish.
Spread mashed potatoes over the surface, using a fork for texture.
Sprinkle the other 1/2 cup cheddar cheese over top and sprinkle parmesan and dust with paprika.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Make Ahead: assemble this easy entree ahead of time and bake it just before serving.

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Irish Soda Bread
From PartySugar's Dad

My grandmother used to make this for me. It is really good hot out of the oven topped with butter.

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons caraway seeds (If you don't like them you can leave them out)
1/2 cup raisins
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk

Preheat the oven to 350°.
Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder & salt.
Stir in seeds & raisins.
Beat eggs with milk.
Gradually add eggs and milk to dry ingredients & stir until mixture forms a sticky dough.
Spray pan with PAM. Put a little flour on the bottom of the pan.
Turn the dough into a 5 x 9 loaf pan or a round 8" pan. Sprinkle a little flour on the top.
Bake for 1 hour for loaf pan or 50 minutes for round.
Turn out of pan onto wire rack.

Great for St. Patrick's day. Very authentic.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: French-Fry Pie

partysugar — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 08:03:33 -0700

Some Fridays, I arrive home exhausted from a hectic and busy week. I'm not afraid to admit that on these days, I receive a lot of help from the grocery store. Tonight's meal consists of only three easy ingredients and makes for a filling, effortless meal. Flavor ground beef with marinara sauce, and top the whole thing with shoe string French fries. It's a deconstructed version of the classic shepherd's pie, but without all the chopping and stirring. Get the recipe now, read more

French-Fry Pie
From Real Simple magazine

4 cups frozen shoe-string French fries
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 14-ounce jar marinara sauce

Heat oven to 425° F. Spread the fries on a baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the ground beef in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until no trace of pink remains, 8 to 10 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat.
Add the marinara sauce and cook until warmed through. Transfer to an 8-by-11-inch or 8-inch-square baking dish.
Top with the fries. Return to oven for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Serves 4.

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