TAVERNITA |
Chicago, Illinois |
When it comes to cooking for a crowd, you want a recipe that gets right to the point. Shepherd’s pie is a rustic British dish typically made with mutton or beef, but my modern version uses pork shoulder. Because the shoulder itself has plenty of flavor, you can braise it in water instead of stock. Also, I use Yukon gold potatoes because they have a medium-starch makeup and can better absorb butter and cream. When topping the casserole with the potatoes, here’s a good technique: Add more mashed potatoes than you need, spreading them over the surface (without disturbing the mixture underneath and getting little pieces of vegetables caught in the potatoes), and then remove the excess.
SERVES
12
LEVEL of DIFFICULTY
WORTH THE EFFORT |
REASONABLE |
EASY |
One 41/2-lb/2-kg pork shoulder roast*
Coarse salt
5 carrots, peeled and diced
4 stalks celery, diced
4 small yellow onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, smashed
8 black peppercorns
5 tbsp/85 g tomato paste
9 large Yukon gold potatoes
12 tbsp/170 g cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
3 to 4 cups/720 to 960 ml heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper
11/2 cups/285 g frozen peas, thawed
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F/165°C.
2. Season the meat with 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp salt.
3. In the bottom of a large Dutch oven or other ovenproof pot with a tight-fitting lid, combine the carrots, celery, onions, garlic, peppercorns, tomato paste, and 1 tbsp salt and stir to mix well. Place the pork on top. Add water to cover the pork about three-fourths of the way up the sides, cover the pot, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, about 15 minutes. Immediately transfer the pot to the oven and braise the roast until tender and falling apart, 2 to 21/2 hours.
4. When the pork is almost done, peel the potatoes and cut into large chunks (about 2 in/5 cm). Place in a large pot, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and adjust heat to keep the water boiling without overflowing. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in the pot, then while the potatoes are still hot, add 2 tsp salt, the butter (piece by piece), and the cream (slowly), mashing the potatoes with an old-fashioned potato masher as you go. The texture should be as silky as possible. Taste, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, cover, and let rest in a warm spot near the oven. (The potatoes must be warm in order to be spreadable.)
5. Remove the pork from the oven and let rest in its liquid for 20 to 25 minutes to ensure it will not get dry. Transfer the pork to a cutting board. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the vegetables to an extra-large bowl and add the peas. (Reserve the braising liquid in the pot.) When the roast is cool enough to handle, cut it into small bite-size cubes or just tear it into shreds using two forks. Add to the bowl with the vegetables and toss gently to combine, then add enough of the cooking liquid to moisten the meat mixture without letting it get “stewy” (1/4 to 1/2 cup/60 to 120 ml). Taste and adjust the seasoning again.
6. Preheat the broiler.
7. You can use any number of baking dishes or ovenproof casseroles you might have handy, in a range of sizes or shapes, with this guideline: The pan must allow for filling that is about 2 in/5 cm deep plus a thick blanket of potatoes on top.
8. Transfer the meat mixture to the pan or pans and carefully spread the potatoes over the top, completely covering the meat. Slide under the broiler to lightly crisp the top. Watch carefully—this will take only about 60 seconds. Serve immediately.
TIP
To reheat, first bring the dish to room temperature, then place it in a preheated 325°F/165°C oven until heated throughout.
* Ask the butcher for a roast with a good meat-to-fat ratio, as the fat will melt during the long cooking period and help to tenderize the pork.
