Not your Mom's Shepherd's Pie...
Ok, ”Cottage Pie” if you're a stickler for details... What I made last night – whatever you call it – is a glorious, dressed up version of the simplest of elements, guaranteed to bring contentment to your tummy. With a base of ground beef and onions, the most basic of seasoning, a layer of potatoes on top... the similarity ends there. Eating Well opens a whole new avenue of elegance! Let's start with the potatoes, as those were the most time consuming for me. Instead of mashed, this uses partially cooked then shredded potatoes (the kind you can buy for hashed browns?). Simple enough to make your own, you simply par-boil and let cool – completely! If you grate too soon, you will end up with, well, mashed potatoes. Still tasty, but trust me, the crispiness of the shredded adds a whole new dimension and is worth the patience.
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Now here's the best part – there are two extra, and I would say divine layers to come – roasted broccoli and a cheddar cheese sauce. Are you drooling yet? I even cheated and thawed a bag of florets, tossed in oil, and let the oven do it's thing – NO SEASONING NEEDED!!! OH, so worth it... Do NOT skip this step. An incredibly basic cheese sauce (milk, corn starch, cheese) is given an unexpected decadence with the addition of turmeric, one of those super spices. Feel free to increase the quantity – the flavor is not pronounced, just a little extra “wow, that's good” sensation. [Keep this tip in your repertoire – I know I will].
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None of the layers requires much effort or time, but you could easily prepare this in stages, or even make the whole thing the day before. Buying the prepared potatoes (if you must) will definitely cut the time involved. When I first read the recipe and the comments, I was fully prepared to add additional seasoning to the finished result – NOT needed. Follow their measurements, with the possible exception of the turmeric. Each layer has it's own distinct flavor that melds beautifully with each of the others. I'd call this a perfect dish for a casual dinner – nothing too fussy, but an overall excellent dining experience. I know that I was certainly satisfied...

Posted by Linda :
Saturday 19 January 2013 - 14:44:38
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