Eh-Shepherd’s Pie-The Latin Version

A  TV star in South America, Francis Mallmann gives us this amazing recipe.  This version of Beef and Potato pie is comfort food to me, I hope you enjoy it too.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 pounds ground sirloin (or good quality minced beef)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pimento dulce (sweet Spanish Paprika)
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or chilli flakes. Use less if this is too spicy for you
• 1 tablespoon English dry mustard powder
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 pound ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 2 hard boiled eggs
• 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 4 large potatoes (baking potatoes) peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
• 1 cup whole milk
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)

Method

1. Combine the olive oil, onions, and carrots in a large cast-iron skillet and sauté over medium heat, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables soften and begin to brown.
2. Crumble in the ground beef and cook for about 4 minutes, breaking up the meat with a fork until it looses its pink colour.  Stir in the bay leaves, rosemary, oregano, cumin, pimento, pepper flakes and mustard.  Add the red wine and let it bubble gently for 5 minutes to evaporate the alcohol.
3. Stir in the tomatoes and olives and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the meat is very tender and the liquid is reduced but not totally evaporated.  It is important that the finished dish be moist. Remove from the heat.
4. Heat the oven to 180C.
5. Slice the hard-boiled eggs 1/3 inch thick and arrange them over the meat mixture.
6. Spoon the mashed potatoes on top and smooth the surface with a spatula.
7. Use the tines of a fork to press a pattern of decorative ridges over the entire surface of the potatoes.
8. Sprinkle with the sugar, if using.
9. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the potatoes are nicely brown on top.

Method for the Potatoes

1. Put the potatoes in a medium pot with cold water to cover, add salt to taste and bring to the boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat slightly and boil for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork.  Drain the potatoes thoroughly in a colander and pass through a food mill or mash the potatoes as you usually do.
2. Bring the milk to a boil, and beat it into the potatoes with a wooden spoon.  Beat in the egg yolks one by one and continue beating until well blended and fluffy, and yellow.

Tips

• This pie is enough for 6 to 8 people, if you want to make it for fewer people cut the ingredients by half.