Tracy Holleran (The Secret Ingredient Cooking School, Fairfield, Connecticut)
Serves 4
The Northeast is heavily populated by Irish-Americans, where shepherd’s pie is a favorite. It was originally created as a way to repurpose the Sunday supper’s leftovers, and there are as many varieties of this dish as there are Irish families. In this version, the traditional mashed potato topping is swapped for creamy cheese-infused polenta, and the filling is embellished with spices, giving shepherd’s pie a whole new identity.
1¼ pounds ground beef
¼ cup water
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (may substitute ground nutmeg)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ cup peas (thawed, if frozen)
2 cups water
Pinch kosher salt
⅔ cup precooked yellow corn meal (instant polenta)
2 ounces mascarpone cheese (or cream cheese)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Brown the ground meat in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Transfer to a colander to drain out the excess fat, and set aside. In the same pan, add water to deglaze the pan. Add onions and carrots, and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes until tender. Add tomato paste and flour, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to remove the “rawness” of the flour. Return the meat to the pan, and add nutmeg, cinnamon, and peas. Stir to combine. Add ¾ cup of water. Simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate and set aside.
Place water in sauce pot and bring to a boil. Add salt. While constantly whisking, add polenta, lower the heat, and cook until thickened (this should take around 5 minutes). Remove from the heat, and add mascarpone, ¼ cup of Parmesan cheese, and additional salt to taste. Stir until incorporated. Fold in chopped parsley. Spoon polenta over the filling and top with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 375°F for about 20 minutes until the top is golden brown and the filling is heated through. Serve immediately.