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Shepherd's Pie - from New American Shakespeare Tavern
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FROM THE MENU OF . . . NEW AMERICAN SHAKESPEARE TAVERN
499 Peachtree St. N.E.
404-874-5299
Q: Although I've tried many times, I can't seem to get the Shakespeare Tavern to hand over its recipe for shepherd's pie. I've eaten shepherd's pie in England many times, but the Tavern's recipe is better than any I've eaten anywhere in the world. Is it possible that you could acquire the recipe?
-- John Hendrix, Bradenton, Fla.
A: Nancy Myers, who owns Chef for a Night Catering, which is based in the New American Shakespeare Tavern building and provides the food for the playhouse-tavern, was happy to share her recipe -- provided we clarified something.
"Technically, in England this would be called cottage pie, " Myers told us. Traditional shepherd's pie is made with mutton -- "thus the need for the shepherd, " as one of Myers' British customers once explained to her.
Myers' recipe is made with beef, she said. "We call it shepherd's pie because most Americans are more familiar with that name."
Hands on time: 45 minutes Total time: 2 hours and 45 minutes Serves: 8
Ingredients:
-
For the filling:
1 tablespoon, plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
2 cups diced onions
2 large carrots, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and then across into 1-inch chunks
1/2 bunch fresh celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/4 pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
Salt and pepper
2/3 cup white wine, divided
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, divided
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced, divided
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced, divided
1/4 cup cornstarch
For the topping:
2 1/2 pounds Russet potatoes, unpeeled and scrubbed
1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) butter
6 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In an ovenproof Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic and cook until the vegetables begin to soften.
Meanwhile, heat a 12-inch skillet over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and swirl to cover the pan. Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper. When the oil is shimmering but not smoking, add half the beef and brown on all sides, then add the beef to the Dutch oven with the vegetables. Pour 1/3 cup of the white wine into the skillet and cook over high heat until it reduces by half, scraping up any of the browned bits left by the beef. Pour the reduction into the Dutch oven. Repeat the browning process with remaining oil and beef, and repeat the wine reduction, adding both to the Dutch oven.
Pour 3/4 cup of the chicken broth and the Worcestershire sauce into the Dutch oven, and add half the minced thyme and rosemary, reserving the remaining chicken broth and herbs. Stir the beef mixture well and bring to a simmer on top of the stove. Once the beef is simmering, cover it and put it in the oven for 1 1/2 hours.
While the beef is cooking, start the potatoes. Boil the whole potatoes in plenty of water until they are easily pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes. Pour off the water and let the potatoes sit, off heat, until they are cool enough to handle. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then remove from heat. Press the potatoes through a potato ricer, or peel and mash them by hand. Pour in the melted garlic butter, season with salt and pepper to taste, and beat the potatoes with a whisk until they are light and fluffy. Cover and keep warm.
After 1 1/2 hours, check the beef for tenderness --- it should be just about falling apart. Stir the cornstarch into the reserved (cold) chicken broth, and stir the mixture into the hot beef. Stir in the remaining rosemary and thyme, and continue stirring until the mixture has thickened.
Pour the beef mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spread the mashed potatoes over the top, return to the oven and bake for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.
Meanwhile, heat a 12-inch skillet over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and swirl to cover the pan. Sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper. When the oil is shimmering but not smoking, add half the beef and brown on all sides, then add the beef to the Dutch oven with the vegetables. Pour 1/3 cup of the white wine into the skillet and cook over high heat until it reduces by half, scraping up any of the browned bits left by the beef. Pour the reduction into the Dutch oven. Repeat the browning process with remaining oil and beef, and repeat the wine reduction, adding both to the Dutch oven.
Pour 3/4 cup of the chicken broth and the Worcestershire sauce into the Dutch oven, and add half the minced thyme and rosemary, reserving the remaining chicken broth and herbs. Stir the beef mixture well and bring to a simmer on top of the stove. Once the beef is simmering, cover it and put it in the oven for 1 1/2 hours.
While the beef is cooking, start the potatoes. Boil the whole potatoes in plenty of water until they are easily pierced with a fork, about 45 minutes. Pour off the water and let the potatoes sit, off heat, until they are cool enough to handle. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then remove from heat. Press the potatoes through a potato ricer, or peel and mash them by hand. Pour in the melted garlic butter, season with salt and pepper to taste, and beat the potatoes with a whisk until they are light and fluffy. Cover and keep warm.
After 1 1/2 hours, check the beef for tenderness --- it should be just about falling apart. Stir the cornstarch into the reserved (cold) chicken broth, and stir the mixture into the hot beef. Stir in the remaining rosemary and thyme, and continue stirring until the mixture has thickened.
Pour the beef mixture into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spread the mashed potatoes over the top, return to the oven and bake for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.
Notes:
No matter what you call it, Myers' pie is special because she slow-cooks chuck roast until it is fall-apart tender, then tops the rosemary-seasoned meat and vegetables with garlic mashed potatoes.
Simmered slowly with vegetables and herbs, the beef filling for this pie smells heavenly. By the time you've topped it with the garlic mashed potatoes, the whole family (and, possibly, neighborhood) will be gathered around your oven.
Simmered slowly with vegetables and herbs, the beef filling for this pie smells heavenly. By the time you've topped it with the garlic mashed potatoes, the whole family (and, possibly, neighborhood) will be gathered around your oven.
Nutrition:
Per serving: 417 calories (percent of calories from fat, 51), 20 grams protein, 29 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 23 grams fat (10 grams saturated), 71 milligrams cholesterol, 199 milligrams sodium.
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Recipes from: New American Shakespeare Tavern