Bison and Red Wine Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients for Bison and Red Wine Shepherd's Pie

• 40g plain flour

• 1 tablespoon Hungarian sweet paprika

• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1.6kg bison or beef short ribs or 1.1kg boneless chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes

• 150g rindless slab bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices

• 2 tablespoons (or more) olive oil

• 240ml chopped onion

• 50g peeled chopped carrot

• 50g chopped celery

• 3 garlic cloves, chopped

• 475ml dry red wine (such as Syrah)

• 650ml low-salt chicken broth

• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage

• 275g pearl onions

• 240g 3/4-inch cubes peeled parsnips

• 12 baby turnips, trimmed, peeled

• 2 to 1.0kg russet potatoes, peeled, quartered

• 180ml whole milk

• 120ml (1 stick) unsalted butter

• 80ml double cream

• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

• 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

• 1 large egg, beaten to blend

• 1 large egg

• 1 tablespoon water

• 240ml finely grated Parmesan cheese

Whisk first 4 ingredients in large bowl. Add bison; toss. Heat large pot over medium heat. Add bacon; cook until crisp. Transfer to paper towels. Add 2 tablespoons oil to pot; increase heat to medium-high. Working in batches, cook bison until browned, adding more oil by tablespoonfuls as needed. Return to same bowl. Add chopped onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to pot; cover and cook until vegetables soften, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add wine; bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Add broth, tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme, sage, reserved bacon, and bison. Reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer until bison is tender, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours (beef may take 1 1/2 hours).

Meanwhile, cook pearl onions in large saucepan of boiling salted water 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl of ice water; trim and peel.

Transfer bison to rimmed baking sheet. Cut meat off bones; cut meat into 3/4-inch cubes. Add parsnips and turnips to pot with bison sauce. Simmer until tender, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes. Add pearl onions; cook 5 minutes. Return meat to pot. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling lightly salted water until tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Drain. Heat milk, butter, and cream in medium saucepan until almost boiling. Rice potatoes into large mixing bowl; add milk mixture, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/2 teaspoons pepper and whisk until smooth and slightly cooled, about 2 minutes. Whisk in egg.

Preheat oven to 204°C. Spoon bison filling into 3-quart (13x9x2-inch) baking dish. Spoon mashed potatoes over; smooth top to cover completely.

Beat egg and 1 tablespoon water to blend. Brush over potatoes, then sprinkle cheese all over. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Bake pie until top is browned and filling is heated through, 30 to 40 minutes (50 to 60 minutes if chilled). Let rest 10 minutes.

Try a full-bodied red, like the 2007 Auguste Bessac Crozes-Hermitage (France, $20), with the shepherd's pie.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.