French Style Boeuf Bourguignon Cottage Shepherds Pie Recipes

BEEF BOURGUIGNON COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• (Up to a month ahead) heat the oil in a large pan. Fry the bacon lardons over a high heat for several mins until well coloured. Using a slotted spoon, remove from the pan, drain on kitchen paper and set aside. Season the beef, then fry in the fat left in the pan. Once coloured, add all the remaining ingredients for the beef, except the cornfl our and bacon, and bring to a simmer. Partly cover the pan with a lid and continue to cook for a further 2-2½ hrs or until the beef is tender.
• Once cooked, tip everything into a colander set over another pan so you can catch the sauce. Tip the contents of the colander into a large pie dish, about 28cm x 23cm x 5cm. Re-boil the sauce and check for seasoning. Thicken with the loosened cornfl our, adding a little at a time and stirring until you have the desired coating consistency. Spoon enough sauce over the beef to barely cover and loosen it, then stir. Remaining sauce can be frozen, ready to re-heat and offer separately on the day.
• While the beef is cooling, make the mash. Boil the potatoes until tender, 15-20 mins, depending on size. Drain off the water and replace the lid. Shake the pan to break up the boiled potatoes. Add butter and milk a little at a time while mashing. Season.
• Spoon and spread the mashed potatoes on top of the cooled beef. Once covered, the mash can be marked with a spoon, palette knife or fork for a more interesting fi nish (see Gary's tip, left). When cold, the cottage pie is ready to cover and freeze.
• The day before serving, transfer the pie to the fridge to defrost overnight. (Or reheat from frozen on the day, see below.)
• On the day, reheat the pie. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. If thawed, bake for 50 mins-1 hr, or until heated through, then increase heat to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 for the fi nal 10 mins for a golden brown topping. If cooking from frozen, cover with foil, then bake for 1¼ hrs; remove foil and bake uncovered for 1¼ hrs more, then increase heat as above for the last 10 mins.

FRENCH STYLE BOEUF BOURGUIGNON COTTAGE-SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F or Gas mark 6.
• Lightly grease a large ovenproof dish with some of the butter.
• Put your Boeuf Bourguignon, Beef or Lamb stew leftovers into the greased ovenproof dish. If the pieces of meat are a bit to chunky, break them down a bit - likewise, cut the shallots into half if necessary.
• Boil your potatoes in salted water for about 25 minutes or until very tender.
• Drain the potatoes, add the Dijon mustard, creme fraiche/sour cream, butter & season well with salt & black pepper.
• Mash thoroughly with a potato masher or a hand held blender, mash until there are no discernable lumps & the mash is well mixed.
• Spoon the mashed potatoes over the top of the meat, smoothing it all the time with the back of a spoon.
• Rough up the potato with a fork to give an attractive appearance and place the sliced tomatoes on top.
• Add the grated cheese if using.
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 to 35 minutes - or until the pie is well heated through & the top is golden brown and bubbling!
• Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with fresh greens, savoy cabbage, red cabbage or carrots.

COTTAGE/ SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Peel and quarter potatoes and set them in a pot of water to boil (on high).
• In a large pan on the stove, quick fry the onions in the olive oil (maybe 2 minutes), until they are translucent- NOT burned.
• Add the minced garlic to the onions and fry for 30 sec to 1 minute longer.
• Add the lean (or extra lean) ground beef.
• Fry the beef/ onions until the beef is BROWN. Not gray. BROWN. Some bits might stick to the bottom. That's flavour, that's good. If there is a lot of fat, try to drain some off.
• In a bowl mix a couple teaspoons of water with the Oxo packets (or just use fresh beef stock), and deglaze the pan with the beef stock.
• Add your salt and pepper now too- I find it takes quite a lot of salt. Almost half a teaspoon.
• Next, add the flour to the remaining water and blend it well.
• Pour it into the beef/onion/stock mixture and let it thicken for a few minutes. I stir vigorously here so that there aren't any "lumps" in the gravy.
• Once the 'gravy' is thick, I add the veggies. Usually I use frozen, and just keep adding them until I think there are enough.
• By this time, your potatoes should be ready to mash.
• Salt, butter, milk and mash, until your potatoes are thick and creamy.
• Then, here's my trick (Thank You, Alton Brown)- I add a raw egg and mash the heck out of all of it. The egg helps the potatoes stay 'together' and brown nicely. Try it one time, and if you don't like it, leave the egg out next time.
• Pour the meat mixture into a cassarole dish (size depends on whether you like a "deep" pie).
• Top with the potatoes. I have a friend who puts some shredded cheese on top. I've had it, it's pretty good, but I prefer plain potatoes with a smidgen of butter smeared around the top.
• Bake at 400F for 20 minutes, or until the top is nice and golden brown. Or, freeze it unbaked, well wrapped in saran wrap and tinfoil. Just remember to take the saran wrap off, because I forgot once, and that's a mess you just don't want to think about.

FRENCH SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water for 30 minutes, then drain and puree in a food mill of mash until smooth. Add the milk, then beat in the egg, cheese, and a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Reserve.
• Preheat the over to 400°F.
• Place the chopped meat, onion, tomato paste, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Beat together with a wooden spoon and reserve.
• Butter a baking dish (preferably porcelain or enameled cast iron). Spread half of the mashed potatoes evenly over the bottom in a thick layer, then pour in the meat mixture and spread it out evenly over the potatoes. Pour in the remaining potatoes and use a fork to spread them over the meat and to decorate the surface by making lines and patterns over it.
• Dot the surface with softened butter, then place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes or until brown on top.
• Serve hot from the oven in the dish.

HACHIS PARMENTIER - FRENCH PROVENCALE STYLE SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Butter a large baking dish.
• Spread the beef stew evenly in the bottom of the buttered dish.
• Into hot mashed potatoes stir butter, creme fraiche/sour cream, Dijon mustard, pinch of nutmeg, and salt & pepper to taste; beat well to combine.
• Spread mashed potatoes mixture evenly over the stew.
• Use a spatula or the tines of a fork to roughen the top of the potatoes, for good browning.
• Sprinkle with grated cheese and a pinch of garlic powder.
• Arrange the olives and sliced tomatoes attractively over the top & drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake at 375F for 25-35 minutes until hot, golden brown and bubbling!
• Garnish with snipped parsley and serve with a green salad or vegetable of your choice, and a crusty baguette. Enjoy!