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Happy Sunday! The fall season has arrived and you know what that means - I get to cook all my favorite recipes to share with you guys! I am also discussing more about my passion in cooking today with Wente Vineyards wine! You'll rarely see me drink a glass of red during the warmer seasons, but as soon as that crisp air kicks in, I'm stocking up on a ton of pinot noir! And Wente Vineyard's Riva Ranch Pinot Noir is absolutely delicious! I had to create a hearty Autumn dish to perfectly go with my new favorite wine!
One of my go-to fall meals is the classic Shepherd's pie (or Cottage pie as it's sometimes called). Rich in ground beef with carrot, onion, & garlic, and topped with gorgeously browned mashed potatoes, I did a tiny twist on my creation. Using the German Shepherd rolling pin from Stodola, I created thin-like biscuits to put on top of the pie. I was going to go for a rectangular pastry puff piece, but was concerned it might come out too mushy on top of the mashed potatoes. So instead I made circular biscuits using a glass. I loved how the pastry gave the dish more texture. It's flaky goodness made me oh so happy!
MaQ Shepherd's Pie
Photos & recipe by © Suzanne Spiegoski
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1.5lbs ground beef or lamb
Olive oil
1 large carrot
1 onion
Fresh thyme
Fresh rosemary
4 garlic cloves
1/2c red wine (Wente Vineyard Riva Ranch Pinot Noir 2014)
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
1/2c chicken broth
2Tbsp tomato paste
salt & pepper
5 large potatoes
1/4c heavy cream
3Tbsp butter
2 egg yolk
1c Parmesan cheese
Directions:
- Preheat oven at 400 degrees.
- Peel potatoes. Boil in hot water for 15 minutes. Drain, cool and set aside.
- Grate onion and carrot. Mince garlic and fresh herbs.
- Add olive oil in pan and cook meat until brown. Drain grease.
- Add onion, carrot, garlic, and salt & pepper.
- Add thyme, rosemary, tomato paste, red wine, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Add chicken broth. Cook on medium heat until most sauce has thickened.
- Meanwhile, mash potatoes in a bowl. Add salt & pepper, butter, heavy cream, egg yolks and Parmesan cheese. Mix well.
- Place meat in casserole dish. Then layer with mashed potato mixture. Take a fork and lightly poke.
- Cook in oven for 20-22 minutes. Serve immediately.
--- For the MaQ Shepherd biscuits, I used puff pastry and the German Shepherd rolling pin from here.
What's the secret to getting that nice golden color on the mashed potatoes? Parmesan cheese! I tried to focus the browning around the edges so the biscuits would have all the room they needed to also bake nicely on top.
Karl Wente, a 5th generation winemaker, blends his two passions of making wine and making music together. I love music and normally have some on while I cook (and maybe dance), and blending passions with Wente Vineyards is something you can do too! Watch Karl's video and share what inspires you or what you might pair your bottle of Wente wine with! I know I will be going through a ton more of red wines from them. :)
Try Wente Vineyard wines and take advantage of their free shipping for a limited time only! Use code, 'JRNYSHIP1' and join the Wente newsletter to stay in touch with all things Wente! I used the Riva Ranch Pinot Noir 2014 wine to cook the minced meat with. Smooth and full of body it was also the perfect wine to accompany dinner with! I even got to enjoy dining al fresco afterward! Got to take advantage of this gorgeous weather we've been having in New York!
What are your unexpected ways of pairing wine with your passion? I'd love to hear and see what favorite wines you all drink while out and about doing your favorite thaaaannng! Are you more into reds or whites? Maybe only rosé? Alright, Sunday Brunch is here and leftovers of MaQ Shepherd's Pie is calling my name! Enjoy the rest of the weekend, everyone!
LOVE & XX'S,
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