awesome international shepherd’s pies

How To Make awesome international shepherd’s pies

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  1

  Gather your ingredients.
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  2

  Place the Yukon potatoes into a large pot, and cover with water.
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  3

  Bring to a boil, and cook until they can be pierced with a fork without resistance, about 60 minutes.
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  4

  Chef’s Note: The amount of time it takes to tenderize the potatoes will depend upon their size, and this can be from 40 to 60 minutes. Make sure that you choose potatoes of approximately the same size. This will ensure that they all finish cooking at the same time.
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  5

  Drain the potatoes and mash them in a bowl with the milk, 4 tablespoons of the butter, and 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt.
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  6

  Chef's Note: To peel, or not to peel... that is the question that has plagued humankind since the potato was discovered. In my opinion, this is a rustic dish, so I mash them with the peel on... Up to you.
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  7

  Chef's Tip: You might want to start out with 3/4 of a cup of milk and then add the remainder, if needed.
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  8

  Or, you could use a food processor, combine the ingredients and go for it.
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  9

  Mash, or blend until smooth.
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  10

  Guru, my Jack Russell Terrier is hoping some of this falls on the floor.
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  11

  Add the two remaining tablespoons of butter to a large skillet over medium heat.
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  12

  Add the beef and garlic.
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  13

  Sauté until the beef is nice and browned, about 7 to 10 minutes.
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  14

  Season the beef with 1 teaspoon of the salt, the rosemary and the Worcestershire.
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  15

  Stir until fully combined with the beef.
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  16

  Sprinkle with 4 teaspoons of flour over the beef.
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  17

  Stir and cook for about 5 minutes.
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  18

  Chef’s Tip: This additional cooking will help to eliminate the flour taste from the beef.
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  19

  Remove the beef with a slotted spoon from the pan, and reserve.
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  20

  Chef’s Note: If there is any grease in the pan (there will probably not be) remove it before the next step.
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  21

  Add the onion and the carrot to the pan, and cook over medium heat for about 7 to 10 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent.
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  22

  Dust the mixture with the remaining 2 teaspoons of flour.
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  23

  Stir and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
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  24

  Add the beef stock to the pan.
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  25

  Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any of the brown bits (fonds) clinging to the bottom of the pan, and dissolve them into the broth.
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  26

  Chef's Note: One of the hardest things that I had to learn was to control the temperature of the pan. If it's slightly too hot, it will burn the bottom, and you won't have fonds... you'll have burned black bits. Watch that temperature.
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  27

  Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
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  28

  Chef’s Note: The liquid should be reduced by about half.
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  29

  Add the beef and the peas into the pan, and incorporate into the mixture.
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  30

  Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.
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  31

  Chef’s Note: The mixture should now be nice and thick.
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  32

  Place a rack in the middle position, and preheat the oven to 350f (176c).
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  33

  Butter the bottoms of 4 ramekins.
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  34

  Chef’s Note: I’m using standard white ramekins with a diameter of 4.5 inches (11.5cm). You could make the whole thing at once by using a large baking dish.
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  35

  Add 1/2 cup of reserved potatoes to each ramekin.
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  36

  Smooth the mixture over the bottoms.
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  37

  Add 3/4 cup of the beef mixture to each ramekin and smooth.
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  38

  Add another 1/2 cup of potatoes to each ramekin and smooth over the top.
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  39

  Dust with a bit of paprika.
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  40

  Place the ramekins in the preheated oven and cook uncovered for about 40 minutes.
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  41

  Remove when they are heated through and bubbly. Enjoy.
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  42

  Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
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