Love thy oven

OK, so Shepherd's Pie certainly won't be falling into the category of health food any time soon.  Although I suppose one could make the argument that this dinner is undeniably good for one's mental health.  I was absolutely famished when I came home from work the other night and this was the only meal I longed to create and devour.  And since the warmer weather is thankfully on its way, I am embracing my oven while I can.  This hearty, comforting meal delivers and it really couldn't be easier.

Hubby finds it interesting that since I hail from Massachusetts I've always referred to this dish as "Chinese pie."  I have no idea why.  I've also always eaten it with corn.  Go figure.  This time around, my vegetables of choice were carrots and peas.  I simply chopped up a few carrots into small pieces and boiled until tender, about 15 minutes.  During the last few minutes of cooking, I tossed in a couple of handfuls of frozen peas.  No fuss, no muss.  After draining, I seasoned them.

I have to admit, I have a deeply embedded, lifelong aversion to peas.  In order to enjoy their taste, however, I added a liberal amount of butter, salt, pepper, and (The Secret Weapon): fresh rosemary.  I credit my friend James for bestowing me with this herbal inspiration, after he cooked Hubby and I an Easter dinner to really write home about.  He added fresh rosemary to his carrots and the taste was out of this world.  Trust me. 

*****

*****
Since the mashed potato is quite possibly my most favorite sustenance ever, I would strongly advise against using instant.  If you go through the effort of lovingly mashing up some real spuds I guarantee your taste buds (and perhaps your significant other) will thank you.  This is just my own personal preference, of course. 

Also, since we're aiming strictly for flavor here, don't skimp on the butter and salt.  In other words, show your potatoes some love.  You can always snub the carbohydrates tomorrow.  (Or not, depending.)

*****

*****

*****

Lastly, but not leastly, we have the ground beef.  Naturally, you could also use lamb or turkey or no meat at all, for that matter.  I think an all veg edition of shepherd's pie would be equally delightful. 

To cook the beef, I started off with a chopped shallot sauteed in a little oil and butter.  To that I added just under a pound of ground beef and seasoned with salt and pepper.  Next, I grated in a clove or two of garlic and added some chopped rosemary.  (Do you detect a theme?)  Finally, I drained the meat, added about a cup of beef stock and allowed the mixture to simmer for a few minutes.

*****

*****

*****

And now, we layer.  I just love these miniature au gratin pots I picked up at Crate and Barrel.  They were only like 6 bucks a piece and they're perfect for chicken pot pies. 

I've been told by a co-worker whose wife makes a killer shepherd's pie that the secret is all in the layering.  The first layer of our little pie is comprised of the vegetables.

*****

*****

*****

The second layer is the juicy beef along with the stock.  With the shallots, garlic and rosemary, the meat really ends up being flavorful. 

*****

*****

*****

*****

*****
*****

*****

The final, glorious layer is a bountiful portion of buttery mashed potatoes.  This is a calming layering process, especially this concluding step, since there is a fair amount of sculpting involved.  I enjoy playing with my food. 

I brushed the top with a little butter to help them brown up.

*****

*****

*****

*****

Now we're ready to slide those babies into a pre-heated 375 degree oven.  Let them bake for about thirty minutes or until their tops become golden and crusty.  Since the pots will be piping hot and probably leaking some of that bubbly beef stock, I recommend using a baking sheet.  Safety first!  (Says the woman with oven burn scars all over her forearms.)

*****

*****

*****

I realize I could've waited for these Shepherd's Pies to turn browner, Dear Reader, but the truth is I ran out of willpower.  In the end, this is as golden and crusty as my ravenous belly would allow them to become.   

*****

*****

*****

*****

Yum.  I wish I could offer you a bite, really I do.  But Typepad doesn't offer that service yet. 

When Hubby got home from his band rehearsal that night around 12:30 he was finally able to eat his pie.  He said thank you.  Like ten times.  Guess it was a hit.

xoxo

Comments

[Sissy]

Not Chinese pie! It's called Shepard's pie! No wonder Brian thinks you are crazy. You may be the only one who calls it Chinese pie unless someone else named it that as some sort of derogatory statement.

[Keely]

That looks delicious...I call it shepard's pie when it has veggies other than corn...if it's just corn, mashies, and potatoes, it's chinese pie to me.

[Sissy]

What? Am I crazy? We are part of the same family and I don't think I ever called this pie chinese. Maybe I blocked it out.

[The Odd Broad]

Yes, you are crazy. The first time I ever ate it was at your friend Vicky's house. I tagged along with you for some reason and her Mom made us "Chinese Pie".

[The Odd Broad]

OK, I did some research. Chinese pie is a French Canadian recipe made with beef, canned corn and mashed potatoes.

Here's what Wikipedia has to say:

One possible explanation for the 'Chinese' reference is that it was introduced to French Canadian railway workers by Chinese cooks during the building of the North American railroads in the late 19th century. The French Canadian railway workers became fond of it and brought the recipe back with them to their home communities. From there it was brought to the textile mill communities of Maine (Lewiston, Maine), New Hampshire (Manchester, New Hampshire), Massachusetts (e.g. Lowell and Lawrence) and Rhode Island (Woonsocket, Rhode Island) where many French Canadians immigrated to work in the mills during the early 20th century.

Another explanation is found in "A Taste of Quebec" by Julian Armstrong: "the name was traced by Quebec language historian Claude Poirier to a town in the state of Maine called China. In the 19th century, thousands of Quebecers migrated to the northeastern United States to work in the mills. Those who settled in the town of China eventually returned to Quebec with a recipe for shepherd's pie, which they called 'pâté chinois'".

[weinerdog]

This explains why my mother has always made Shepards pie w/ corn(seeing as my Grandmother was French Canadian)!

By the by it's Monday.........Where O' where is the Odd Broad!!!!!????