Beef rib shepherd’s pie

This post is sponsored by Paderno Kitchenware. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.
beef rib shepherd's pie in pan

Shepherd’s pie is a favorite meal in our house. Typically a casserole of meat, vegetables, and gravy topped with mashed potatoes, it’s comfort food at its finest. It’s also a dish that can take on any number of variations, depending on your mood and what’s in the fridge. For this version, I decided to go decadent by replacing the typical ground meat filling with a beef rib stew simmered in the Paderno 6-quart Slow Cooker.

Part of the magic of a slow cooker is its ability to transform inexpensive but tough cuts of meat into melt-in-your-mouth meals. Here we take full advantage of low-and-slow cooking by simmering beef ribs overnight until the meat literally falls off the bone. The simmering liquid is reduced to a luscious gravy, and the whole stew is topped off with a thick layer of Yukon Gold mash. Delicious!

beef rib slow cooker
beef rib filling
assembling shepherd's pie

A few notes:

  • You can easily make the stew portion several days in advance. After slow-cooking the meat, simply cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate until needed. When you’re ready to assemble the shepherd’s pie, skim the fat solids off the top and rewarm in the slow cooker on low for 1-2 hours before proceeding.
  • Since the stew is quite rich, I opted to make the mashed potatoes a little leaner by using the potato cooking water instead of a dairy product. If you prefer a more decadent mash, feel free to substitute milk/cream/sour cream.
  • Customize the stew with whatever vegetables you like or have on hand! Mushrooms and peas would be great additions (I’d add them in the last hour of cooking, or during the reheat if you make the stew ahead of time). You can also sub the apple juice for red wine or beer for a different flavor.

Beef Rib Shepherd’s Pie

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

For the slow cooker beef ribs:
  • 5 lbs bone-in beef ribs, cut into single-bone portions
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • Half a head of garlic, peeled and minced
  • 2 carrots, shredded
  • 1 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes (or substitute fresh tomatoes)
  • 3 dried bay leaves
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 Tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 c apple juice
  • Salt and pepper
  • 75g (1/3 c) unsalted butter
  • 40g (1/3 c) all purpose flour
For the mashed potatoes:
  • 2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 in. pieces
  • 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
To finish:
  • Chopped chives or scallion greens

Method:

For the slow cooker short ribs:
  1. Season beef ribs generously with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
  2. Grill or sear beef ribs on all sides. Meanwhile, in a large pot, sweat onion, garlic, and carrots in olive oil over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Add salt, pepper, bay leaf, and thyme for the last couple of minutes.
  3. Deglaze pan with apple juice. Add tomatoes, dijon, and worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine, and bring to a low simmer. Once simmering, remove from heat and set aside.
  4. Once finished grilling/searing ribs, transfer ribs to slow cooker, assembling in an even layer. Pour vegetable and liquid mixture over ribs. Add water so the liquid level falls just below the top of the beef.
  5. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender and falls off the bones easily. (At this point you can refrigerate the stew for several days if needed; skim the fat and reheat on low for 1-2 hours when ready to proceed.)
  6. When ready to assemble and bake the shepherd’s pie, remove the bones and bay leaves from the slow cooker and discard. Strain the liquid into a large glass measuring cup. Transfer stew solids to an oven safe pan (I used the Paderno Classic Non-Stick Fry Pan) or casserole dish. Use two forks to shred any large pieces of meat.
  7. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add flour and whisk to combine. Gradually add the reserved liquid, whisking constantly. Once all the liquid is added, raise heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Continue cooking, whisking occasionally, until the gravy is thickened and reduced by about 1/3 (about 10-15 minutes). Remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Add enough gravy to nearly cover the meat and vegetables (reserve the rest of the gravy for serving).
For the mashed potatoes:
  1. Place the potato pieces in a large pot and add cold water to cover by about an inch. Add several generous pinches of salt.
  2. Bring to a simmer, uncovered, over medium heat. Once the water is simmering, turn heat down to medium low and continue simmering until the potatoes are fork-tender (10-15 minutes).
  3. Drain the potatoes, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water.
  4. Return the potatoes to the pot over low heat. Add the butter. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes, adding the reserved water as needed to reach desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To finish:
  1. Preheat oven to 425F with a rack in the middle.
  2. Spread the mashed potatoes on top of the filling and score with the tines of a fork for texture, if desired.
  3. Place pan on a sheet pan to catch any drips and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the potatoes are lightly browned and the edges of the filling are bubbling. Garnish with chopped chives or scallions, if desired. Serve with reserved gravy.
beef rib shepherd's pie serving
beef rib shepherd's pie gravy

Fish Sticks and Tartar Sauce

fish sticks and tartar sauce

Before having kids, I really enjoyed daily dinner prep. Both my husband and I are fairly adventurous eaters, so I had fun scouring the internet and cookbooks finding new dishes and techniques to try, or riffing on our fridge contents to create interesting meals.

Nowadays, I still enjoy making dinner but my methods and priorities have definitely shifted. Speed and “will the kids eat it?” are of the essence; new recipes and unusual flavors are typically saved for the weekends or side dishes. While both my kids like to eat, we do experience the typical toddler pickiness that often changes from meal to meal. So finding meals that are palatable for both three-year-olds and thirty-somethings can sometimes be a challenge.

One thing I can always count on my kids being willing to try is anything that involves dipping. So when I was flipping through Jane Hornby’s new cookbook Simple and Classic this breaded fish and tartar sauce recipe caught my eye.

Homemade fish sticks might sound a bit fussy and labor intensive, but these actually come together fairly quickly — totally doable for a busy weeknight. And — more importantly — they are delicious! Using a firm white fish means the fish sticks are mild enough for the little people, and the flavorful crust and punchy dip makes it interesting enough for the older ones. This definitely earned a spot in the regular dinner rotation!

I’m looking forward to trying some of the other dishes in Hornby’s book — it’s packed full of straightforward, easy-to-follow recipes that are simply photographed with step-by-step shots. There’s a nice blend of familiar dishes — such as Sticky BBQ Chicken, Chocolate Profiteroles, and Cheese and Onion Tart — interspersed with more adventurous ones — say, Raspberry & Passion Fruit Mallow Meringue, Lemon Basil Gnudi with Fava Beans, and Shrimp and Mushroom Laksa. Thanks very much to Phaidon Books for sending it along!

A couple of notes:

  • Instead of using day-old white bread, I used panko (about 175g to account for the discarded bread crusts). I just mixed all the coating ingredients together in a bowl instead of using a food processor.
  • This recipe makes quite a bit of coating; I had a bit leftover. I recommend just putting some of it on a plate to coat the fish and refilling as necessary. Extras can be frozen; in fact, Hornby suggests making a double batch and freezing the remainder for the future.
simple and classic jane hornby cover

Fish Sticks and Tartar Sauce

Serves 4 / Adapted from Simple and Classic by Jane Hornby

Ingredients:

  • 4 thick slices white bread (day-old bread is best), about 7 oz. (200g)
  • 1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 Tbsp mild olive oil
  • 2 oz (50g) Parmesan cheese (2/3 c grated)
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 3/4 lb (800g) sustainably sourced thick white fish fillet, such as cod, haddock, or pollack
  • 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tsp capers
  • 1 large or 5 small pickles (gherkins)
  • 1/2 c (100g) good-quality mayonnaise (swap half for sour cream, if desired)
  • salt and pepper
  • salad greens or peas, to serve

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425F (220C). Cut the crusts from the bread and discard. Put the bread into a food processor with half of the parsley — stems (stalks) too — and all of the oil.
  2. Blend everything together to make oily, herbed bread crumbs. Finely grate the Parmesan and the lemon zest, then mix into the crumbs with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl.
  3. Cut the fish into chunky sticks about 1 1/4″ x 1 1/4″ x 4 inches ( 3 x 3 x 10 cm).
  4. Put the flour onto a plate and season it generously with salt and pepper. Break the egg into a bowl, add salt and pepper to this, too, then beat it with a fork. Dust a piece of fish with the flour, then dip it into the egg. Let the excess egg drip off into the bowl below, then roll and pat the fish in the crumbs until covered in an even layer.
  5. Place it onto a nonstick baking sheet and repeat with the rest of the fish. Rinse and dry your hands every now and again, because they can get sticky.
  6. Bake the fish for 12-15 minutes, or until crisp and golden. Meanwhile, make the tartar sauce. Cut the lemon in half, squeeze one half, and cut the other into wedges. Finely chop the remaining parsley leaves, the capers, and pickles (gherkins), and put into a bowl. Add the mayonnaise and 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
  7. Serve the fish with the tartar sauce, lemon wedges, and some salad leaves or just-cooked peas.

Veggie Pakoras with Brussels Sprout Slaw

veggie pakora salad

This post was created in partnership with Spice it Up Foods, whose Veggie Pakoras are now available at select Costco stores in Eastern Canada. As always, all ideas and opinions expressed here are my own.

We’re approaching two months with two kids. The transition to becoming a family of four has gone as smoothly as I could have hoped (thank God for grandparents!). But even so, some days it’s…shall we say, challenging getting dinner on the table.

Spice it Up’s vegan and all-natural Veggie Pakoras are perfect for those days when I need a little help whipping up a quick and healthy meal. These crisp and well-spiced baked fritters make tasty snacks on their own, but here I’ve turned them into a light meal with a brussels sprout slaw and a spiced yogurt dressing/dip. The pakoras take about 15 minutes to bake, which conveniently is about as much time as you’ll need to make the salad and dressing!

veggie pakoras

brussels sprout slaw

pakoras and slaw

Veggie Pakoras with Brussels Sprout Slaw and Yogurt Dressing

Serves 4-6 as a light meal

Ingredients

For the brussels sprout slaw:

  • 1 lb brussels sprouts, finely shredded
  • 1/2 small red onion, finely sliced
  • 1/2 c almonds, toasted and roughly chopped
  • 1/2 c dried cranberries
  • Cilabtro, for garnish (optional)

For the yogurt dressing:

  • 1 1/2 c plain yogurt, preferably low or full fat
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 1/4 tsp ground tumeric
  • 1 small garlic clove, grated
  • 1 Tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
  • Large handful of cilantro, chopped
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with foil. Place frozen pakoras on the baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes or until crisp, turning once midway through cooking.
  2. While the pakoras are baking, toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant. Cool slightly, then grind using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients from the yogurt through the ginger. Stir in the cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside 1/2 a cup for dipping.
  4. In a large bowl, combine the slaw ingredients. Toss with the remaining dressing.
  5. To serve, top slaw with hot pakoras and cilantro and serve with reserved dressing on the side as a dipping sauce.

Cooking on a budget

slice of bread
Between buying a new house and preparing for baby #2, my husband and I decided a few weeks ago that it wouldn’t hurt to keep a close eye on our spending. We’re grateful that we’ve always had more than enough to live comfortably, but buckling down now and then never hurts. So we budgeted a conservative amount per week to spend on food/gas/miscellaneous, and went from there.

Since I do the majority of meal prep in our house, I’ve been particularly keen on cooking budget meals and finding ways to save on groceries…without sacrificing on taste and nutrition (having both a growing toddler and a pregnant lady to feed). Constraints often force the discovery of new ingredients and preparations, and this has definitely proven true even just a few weeks into this exercise. A few principles — none new, but diligently practicing them is another ballgame — have helped with belt-tightening:

Practice portion control
This has less to do with how much we eat per meal, but with how much we prepare and buy. I’m finding that for our family of 2.5, preparing food for 4-6 leaves us with enough for dinner, plus a couple lunches. That’s plenty. If there are too many leftovers, they inevitably hide out in the back of the fridge and go bad. Similarly, while buying in bulk is sometimes cheaper, the savings are canceled if you buy more than you can use.

Stretch meat
We do enjoy meat and are in the habit of buying less expensive cuts (think chicken thighs and certain Asian market cuts of beef), but we’ve also taken to using just a little less per meal — for example, using just two sausages in a soup instead of the called-for four. On-sale meat is something I do buy in bulk, then freeze in ~1 pound portions (butchers will often portion it out for you if you ask).

Rediscover rice and beans
Rice has long been a staple in our house, but we are learning to appreciate different types of beans and legumes. I have to say, the Instant Pot has really helped out here as it takes only ~20 minutes to cook up a batch of beans instead of a couple hours! We’ve also started trying more dal recipes using different types of lentils, and they’ve been a big hit. Fresh spices are key here; and this is another instance where I’ll buy from the local bulk store — not because I can buy a whole bunch but because I can get just the amount I need — 30 cents worth of tumeric, for instance.

Plan meals
I’ve never been much into weekly meal planning before; and I’ll probably never be the type to detail everything I’ll cook in the coming week. But I am trying to plan out at least the main courses several days in advance now, rather than just a couple. Mainly this is to cut down on unnecessary trips to the store where inevitably extraneous groceries make it into the shopping cart. I am in the habit of shopping the weekly grocery ads (the Flipp app is super helpful), which definitely helps determine what we’ll be eating.

I’m also trying to be more regular about preparing things that can be quickly thrown together for nutritious breakfasts/lunches — for example, boiling a dozen eggs and baking up a batch of granola at the beginning of the week; chopping up cheese cubes; baking a batch of muffins and freezing a portion. And of course a loaf of sourdough bread is almost always available.

Shop your pantry and freezer
One of the first things I did when we started this exercise was to take stock of what we already had at home. (Favorite rice vermicelli recipes, anyone? Because I have a lot…) Since we’re moving soon anyways, it makes sense to try to use up what’s in our pantry and freezer. I’m pretty good about knowing what meats we have in stock, but not so great at remembering our dry goods stash. (This ties back in with the first principle — don’t buy more than you can [remember to] use…) So I’m trying to do a better job of working in the wealth of neglected pantry items into meal planning.

Eat seasonally
Fruits and veggies get a bad rap for being expensive. If you’re buying strawberries in December, sure…but as long as you eat with the seasons, fresh produce is very affordable. (Plus, in-season always tastes better.)

What are some of your favorite budget recipes? Here are a just a few we’ve used for inspiration:

Recipes

Pad Thai

padthaiEarlier this week, I had a hankering for Pad Thai. It’s one of those dishes I’ll occasionally order out, but had never bothered to try making myself. My method for attempting new dishes usually consists of reading at least a half dozen recipes, noting the ingredient and method similarities, and then adapting to personal taste and what is in the fridge. For example: pad thai typically contains firm tofu (which I love), but I had a smidgen of ground pork that had to be cooked. So that went in. I also had a bunch of mint and cilantro from some other dinners we’d eaten earlier in the week, so that got added. Finally, I am a firm believer in pre-seasoning proteins (in this case, shrimp and pork), so that step was added as well.

One ingredient I didn’t substitute was the tamarind (some recipes call for lime juice, but I don’t think it’s an adequate substitute). I’ve never worked with tamarind before, and the only tamarind the local Asian market had was the whole pods. I used the instructions here to turn it into a pulp. It was a fairly messy process, but the flavor was definitely worth it.

Pad Thai

Adapted from Saveur | Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. dried flat rice stick noodles
  • 3 tbsp. tamarind pulp
  • 3 tbsp. palm sugar or light brown sugar
  • 2.5 tbsp. nam pla (Thai fish sauce), divided
  • 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp. Thai chili garlic sauce
  • 2 tsp soy sauce, divided
  • 2 tsp sugar, divided
  • White pepper
  • 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 8 oz. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 3 oz. ground pork
  • 2 tbsp. dried shrimp, soaked and chopped if large
  • 6 stalks Chinese chives or 4 scallions, green part only,cut into 2″ pieces
  • 1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
  • 1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, chopped
  • 1 lime, quartered
  • 1/4 c mint leaves, chopped
  • 1/2 c cilantro, chopped
  • Sriracha

Method

  1. At least 1 hour before cooking, marinate shrimp with 1/2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, and a pinch of white pepper. Marinate ground pork with 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, and a pinch of white pepper. Cover and refrigerate.
  2. Dissolve tamarind pulp in 1 cup hot water in a small bowl, then strain through a sieve into a medium bowl, pressing on pulp with the back of a spoon to push most of it through. Discard seeds. Stir sugar, fish sauce, vinegar, and chili garlic sauce into tamarind liquid and set sauce aside.
  3. Soak noodles in a large bowl of hot water until pliable, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  4. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Cook shrimp until pink but not completely cooked through, about 1 minute. Remove and set aside.
  5. Add remaining 3 tbsp oil to hot skillet. Add onion and garlic and stir-fry until soft, about 10 seconds. Add ground pork and saute until mostly cooked, about 1 minute. Move ingredients over to the one side of the pot and add the lightly beaten eggs. allowing to set slightly and then stirring to scramble. When eggs are about halfway cooked, add dried shrimp, chives, half the bean sprouts, half the peanuts, the noodles, the sliced omelette, and the reserved sauce and stir-fry, tossing constantly, until noodles absorb most of the sauce and sauce thickens, 2-3 minutes. Garnish each serving with the remaining bean sprouts, mint, cilantro, and peanuts and serve with limes and sriracha.

Creamed Corn Chicken

creamstylechickenThis is one of those simple, homey dishes that is a snap to put together when you don’t have much time to cook / feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen. While the taste is best if you can marinate the chicken ahead of time, you’ll still get good results if you do it even just 1/2 an hour before cooking. Serve with plenty of rice and some variety of Asian veggies, and you’ve got yourself a Hong Kong cafe-style meal.

Creamed Corn Chicken

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 slices ginger
  • 1 can cream style corn
  • 1 T soy sauce
  • 1 T oil
  • Salt, to taste
  • Sugar, to taste
  • White pepper, to taste
  • 1 egg, beaten

Marinade Ingredients

  • 1 T soy sauce
  • 1 1/2 t sugar
  • 1 1/2 t shaoxing wine
  • Dash of white pepper
  • Dash of garlic powder
  • 1 t cornstarch

Method

  1. At least an hour before cooking (or overnight), combine chicken pieces with marinade ingredients. Cover and refrigerate.
  2. Heat oil in medium sized pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and stir fry for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, stirring frequently, and season with salt, sugar, and white pepper.
  3. When ginger and garlic become aromatic (~2-3 minutes), add chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all sides are browned and chicken is nearly cooked through (~4-5 minutes).
  4. Add cream style corn and soy sauce. Lower heat to medium low, and let simmer for 5-10 minutes.
  5. Remove from heat. While stirring constantly in one direction, add beaten egg. Adjust seasonings to taste. Remove ginger slices. Serve over rice.

Southwest Pork and Bean Stew

I love making stews in winter. They’re easy, hands-off, and they make the house warm AND delicious-smelling. What’s not to like?

southwest pork and bean stewWhile back in Seattle we ran across a brand of heirloom beans called Rancho Gordo. I used their Rebosero beans (a Mexican variety that is sort of a cross between red and black beans) for this recipe, and they worked great. (I prefer the texture of freshly cooked beans, but you could easily substitute canned for this recipe if you’re short on time.) What I really liked about this recipe was the use of molasses and orange zest, which provided a complex sweetness that wasn’t overpowering or cloying. You can adjust the heat to taste by raising/lowering the amount of cayenne or jalapenos. Rice/tortillas and guacamole make fine accompaniments for this hearty one-pot meal.

Southwest Pork and Bean Stew

Adapted from Simply Recipes
Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 pounds of pork shoulder or butt, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1-2 jalapeños, more or less to taste, seeded, stems removed
  • 2 Tbsp cornmeal
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons molasses (I used blackstrap)
  • 2 long 1-inch wide strips of orange zest
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 15-ounce can black or red beans, liquid included OR ~2 cups cooked beans + 1/2 cup water or bean broth
  • More salt to taste
  • Juice from 1 – 2 limes
  • Cilantro for garnish

Method

  1. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt over the pork pieces and let sit while you prep the other ingredients.
  2. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a thick-bottomed stew pot on medium high heat. Add the pork pieces to the pot and brown them on all sides.
  3. Once the pork pieces have browned, add the chopped onions to the pot with the pork. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the onions are translucent, about 7-10 minutes more.
  4. As the onions are cooking, work on the garlic spice mixture. Place the garlic and the jalapeños in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until minced. Then add the oregano, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, and cornmeal and pulse everything until ground.
  5. Once the onions are cooked, add the spice mixture to the pork and onions. Add the molasses, orange zest, and water to the pot. Bring it to a simmer and then reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cover and let cook until the pork is completely tender, about 2 hours. Stir occasionally and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
  6. When pork is tender, remove the orange zest and add the beans to the pot and cook for 20 minutes more on low heat. (Note: if using freshly cooked beans, add ~1/2 c. water or bean broth.)
  7. Remove from heat, and stir in the lime juice. Add more salt to taste.
  8. Serve garnished with fresh cilantro. Great with rice and fresh guacamole.