The Perfect Pot Pie

Tori Ritchie: Definitely Better Than Frozen! She Shares Recipes

(CBS) Lamb and Wild Mushroom Shepherd's Pie

For the Filling:

2 lb shoulder blade lamb chops, trimmed of fat and boned
1 lb assorted wild mushrooms such as cremini, portobello, and shitake
2 tablespoons all purpose (plain) flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 large shallots, minced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 Turkish bay leaf, minced
1 3/4 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste

For the Topping:

6 small Yukon gold potatoes, 1 1/2 lb total weight
1/3 cup whole milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Preheat the oven to 350F. To make the filling, cut the lamb into 1/2-inch pieces and stem and cut the mushrooms into 3/4-inch pieces. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and allspice. Add the lamb and toss to coat evenly. In a large nonstick frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the lamb and sauté until well browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan. Add the shallots and garlic and stir over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and bay leaf and sauté until well browned, about 6 minutes.

Return the lamb to the frying pan, stir in the stock and tomato paste, and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lamb is tender, about 45 minutes. Uncover and simmer until the juices thicken, about 2 minutes. Transfer the filling to a 9-inch pie dish.

To make the topping, pour water to a depth of 1 inch into a large pot and bring to a boil. Peel and slice the potatoes into rounds 1/4 inch thick. Put the potato slices into a collapsible steamer basket and set the basket over the boiling water. (The water should not touch the bottom of the steamer basket.) Cover and steam until tender when pierced with a small knife, about 12 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl. Add the milk, butter, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and pepper to taste. Mash well with a potato masher. Stir in half of the chives. Spoon the potatoes on top of the lamb mixture to cover it completely.

Bake the pie until it is heated through and the potatoes just begin to brown, about 35 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining chives and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

Chile en Crôute

The French term en crôute describes a food that is wrapped or covered with pastry and then baked. Here, we offer a rustic version made with hearty beef chili and corn bread. It's the perfect cold-weather meal.

5 lb. ground beef
1 Tbs. salt
3 Tbs. sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
5 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 yellow onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup Urban Accents Rio Grande chili powder* or other chili powder
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 can (28 oz.) chopped tomatoes with juices
3 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 package Buckeye corn bread mix or other corn bread mix

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, combine the ground beef, salt and sugar and cook, stirring, until browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the meat and transfer to a slow cooker.

In the same pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes; do not allow it to brown. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, pepper and oregano and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, then pour the mixture into the slow cooker. Add the stock and cornmeal. Cover and cook for 6 hours on high or 8 hours on low. After the chili is cooked, skim off any fat from the surface.

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Prepare the corn bread batter according to the package instructions. Divide the chili evenly among 8 ovenproof bowls. Top each with a scant 1/2 cup of the batter. Using a small offset spatula, spread the batter over the center two-thirds of the chili, being careful not to mix the batter with the chili. Place the bowls on a baking sheet and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the corn bread comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately. Serves 8.

Williams-Sonoma Kitchen