[updated from 6/10/2010]
I’m not gonna lie, this meal in more finicky than what I usually like to cook. It messes up more than 1 pan and requires that you pay attention to it while it’s cooking. It’s what I imagine having a child would be like. I get it though…you gotta put up with the crap and in the end, you’ll reap the reward. In this case, it’s food to stuff into your face.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef, chicken, turkey, pork…almost any ground meat will work
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 carrots or parsnips, chopped
- 4 oz. mushrooms, sliced
- 1 T each FRESH rosemary, sage and thyme (herbs are the flavor maker and must NOT be omitted)
- splash + 1/2 c chicken stock
- 1 T potato starch
- 1/2 head cauliflower, chopped and boiled in water until soft
- 1 egg
- S&P
Method
Preheat your oven to 400ºF.
In a deep-sided, oven safe saute pan add the ground beef and saute on medium heat until browned. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and mushrooms and cook until softened. Add 1 c chicken stock and potato starch. Use a spatula to pick up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Turn the heat off and toss in 3/4 of the chopped herbs along with some salt and pepper.
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, a splash of  chicken stock and the cooked cauliflower pieces. Use a combination of whisking and smashing to get the cauliflower as smooth as possible. Throw in the rest of the herbs along with a nice, heavy pinch of salt. Spoon the mixture on top of the meat and press into an even layer with your spatula.
Bake in the oven, on the middle rack, for 10 minutes, then turn the oven on broil and cook for another 10 minutes. Once the “pie” has come out of the oven, let it rest a few minutes before serving.
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