Shepherds Pie

Ingredients:

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 onion
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 t dried parsley leaves
• 1 t dried rosemary leaves
• 1 t dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t black pepper
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 2 garlic cloves -minced
• 2 T flour
• 2 T tomato paste
• 1 cup beef broth
• 12 oz frozen mixed veggies, (Carrots, peas, corn)

• 3 large potatoes peeled
• 8 T unsalted butter – 1 stick
• 1/3 cup half & half
• 1/2 t garlic powder
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t black pepper
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Peel and roughly chop your potatoes, add them to water and allow them to boil. Cook the beef mixture.
2. Saute chopped onions in a pan on medium high heat. Add ground beef when onions are soft
3. Add your herbs & cook until beef is browned.
4. Add in your garlic and worcestershire sauce. cook for 30 seconds.
5. Add flour and tomato paste. Allow to cook for at least 1 minute to get rid of the flour taste.
6. Add beef broth and the frozen medley of veggies.
7. Simmer until mixture is thick.
8. Drain potatoes of the water if soft able to stick a fork cleanly through.
9. Add the butter, milk and salt/pepper, & cheese.
10. Add the beef mixture into a casserole dish and add the potatoes on top.
11. Bake at 350 until the potatoes are golden brown.
12. Sprinkle minced parsley on top for color.

Valentine’s Day Dinner

This year instead of going out to eat I made our Valentines dinner. The plating needs some help but it was outstanding even if I say so myself.  I prepared lobster tails and filet mignon on the grill, with the accompaniment of colcannon and sauteed asparagus. And for dessert, chocolate covered strawberries.

This was the first time I have worked with lobster. I only saw how a lobster was boiled in culinary school so I was completely worried that I would over cook it and it would be rubbery.

The recipe that I’ll be sharing is the colcannon. It is a classic Irish dish that was served at Loft 610. The classic dish is just mashed potatoes, kale and onions that is browned in a skillet. My version adds some zestiness with whole grain mustard, and a little low lites with caramelized onions and mushrooms.

 

Ingredients

4 medium potatoes,baked
2 medium onions, sliced
1/2 lb of crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 lb of kale, de-stemmed and roughly chopped
1 T whole grain mustard
salt and pepper to taste
butter for sauteeing

Method

1. Sautee onions in butter until caramelized, add mushrooms and continue cooking till brown. Set aside.
2. Sautee the kale until wilted.
3. Cut the baked potatoes into chunks and use paddle attachment in a mixer to mash the potatoes, add in the onions, mushrooms and kale.
4. Heat the sautee pan and add a little more butter, make a patty of the mashed potato mixture.  Brown on both sides.