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The traditional version of this dish of meat and gravy topped with mashed potatoes is time-consuming to make, and the end product is a bit heavy for modern palates. We streamlined the process by building and serving the pie in one skillet and by using lean ground beef rather than braised chunks of meat. To keep the meat tender, we treated it with baking soda, which raised the pH and kept the proteins from bonding too tightly, and we simmered the meat in the gravy rather than seared it. To replace the browned meat flavors that usually form the basis of the sauce, we sautéed the onions, mushrooms, and tomato paste in the skillet until quite dark, and then we deglazed the pan with fortied wine.
Ingredients:
1 1⁄2 pounds 93 percent lean ground beef
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons water
Salt and pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
2 1⁄2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1⁄2 cup milk
1 large egg yolk
6 scallions, green parts only, sliced thin
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
4 oz mushrooms, chopped
1 tbs tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup dry red wine or port
2 tbs flour
.75 cup beef broth
2 tsp Worcestershire
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 tsp cornstarch
Directions:
Toss beef with 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and baking soda in bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, place potatoes in medium saucepan; add water to just cover and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are soft and tip of paring knife inserted into potato meets no resistance, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to saucepan. Return saucepan to low heat and cook, shaking pot occasionally, until any surface moisture on potatoes has evaporated, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and mash potatoes well. Stir in melted butter. Whisk together milk and egg yolk in small bowl, then stir into potatoes. Stir in scallion greens and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside.
Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just starting to soften and dark bits form on bottom of skillet, 4 to 6 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste and garlic; cook until bottom of skillet is dark brown, about 2 minutes.
Add red wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until evaporated, about 1 minute.
Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute then add broth, Worcestershire, thyme, bay leaf, and carrots; bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits.
Reduce heat to medium-low, add beef in 2-inch chunks to broth, and bring to gentle simmer. Cover and cook until beef is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, stirring and breaking up meat hunks with 2 forks halfway through.
Stir cornstarch and remaining 2 teaspoons water together in bowl. Stir cornstarch mixture into filling and continue to simmer for 30 seconds. Remove thyme and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer the meat mixture into a 10in oven safe bowl or individual ramakins.
Adjust oven rack 5 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Place mashed potatoes in large zipper-lock bag and snip off 1 corner to create 1-inch opening. Pipe potatoes in even layer over filling, making sure to cover entire surface. Smooth potatoes with back of spoon, then use tines of fork to make ridges over surface.
Place skillet on rimmed baking sheet and broil until potatoes are golden brown and crusty and filling is bubbly, 5-6 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes:
Servings = 4-6
Don’t use ground beef that’s fattier than 93 percent or the dish will be greasy
Original Recipe from America's Test Kitchen:
Options:
Bacon - cut 1/2 lb of bacon into small pieces and render the fat. Set the bacon aside then continue recipe sauteing the mushrooms and onions in the bacon grease. Later when adding the potatoes, sprinkle the bacon before spreading the potatoes out.
Spinach - After the meat has finished cooking, add 1 bag of baby spinach. Allow to wilt then add the corn starch.
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