FFwD, Week 4: Hachis Parmentier

Week four of French Fridays with Dorie, I'm afraid, has become French Sundays with Dorie.  Nevertheless, this week’s recipe, I promise, does not disappoint & quite definitely will become a wonderful winter companion. 

Before delving into the recipe details, we must give thanks to Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, the French Chemist & Botanist responsible for making the potato a household staple.  After serving in the French Army, Mr. Parmentier dedicated his research to the potato & in 1773, proclaimed the potato’s famine reducing qualities.  The French honor Mr. Parmentier with several potato-containing dishes including a potato & leek soup, Potage Parmentier and a simple diced, seasoned potato, Pommes Parmentier.

Hachis Parmentier, a meat & potato pie, is unlike any shepherd's pie I have enjoyed before.  Comfort food to the extreme, this recipe begins with the preparation of a beef broth by simmering cube steak, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, parsley sprigs, bay leaf, salt, black peppercorns along with a little water.  

The carrots, onions & celery rescued from the broth were added to the beef along with spicy sausage to create the meat base of the dish and topped with whole milk, heavy cream, & butter-laden mashed potatoes sprinkled with Gruyere & Parmesan cheese.  Rib sticking, goodness, indeed.  The lovely meat & potato dish baked until the filling bubbled & the most delicious golden crust formed on top. 
We enjoyed the Hachis Parmentier with a simple salad & lovely Argyle Pinot Noir.  I can assure you there will definitely not be a famine happening here!

   

Translation:  Shepherd's Pie

Pronunciation: Hachis Parmentier

The publisher of Around My French Table has asked that the recipes not be posted. 

I have my eye on a few variations of Shepherd's Pie to try this winter: 
Wine Braised Beef & Celery Root Shepherd's Pie,
Food & WineShepherd's Pie, Epicurious
Shepherd's Pie, Ellie Krieger, Food Network    
                         (A much lighter version)