Mexican Shepherds Pie

What? Mexican Shepherds Pie? Are you muy loco Juan Marcos?  (si)  Have you ever watched the cooking show called "Chopped"?  Contestants must design a dish from a basket of surprize food items.  That's where I got the inspiration as I opened my refrigerator the other day.....let's see, I have potatoes, chorizo, carrots, celery, onions, and several kinds of peppers.  What do you make with that?



Mexican Shepherds Pie

 

For those that want to know how to make it, read on.

For ingredients, I used:
 1/2 kilo or 1 pound of chorizo, thank-you Sharon for connecting me to the chorizo lady.
4 medium sized potatoes
1 cup each chopped carrots, celery, onion, and red bell peppers (if you have corn, add that also)
1/2 cup total chopped poblano peppers and jalepenos
1 large finely chopped garlic clove
1 chicken broth cube (bouillion).
1/4 milk or cream
2 tablespoons of sour cream (divided)
2 tablespoons of cream cheese
1 tablespoon of flour
2 ladles  of broth (bout a cup)  (see instructions)
Olive oil, butter, salt, and pepper

Instructions:
In a large fry pan, with some butter and olive oil, saute the onions and all the peppers
When softened, set aside and using the same pan,
Brown the chorizo, and set aside, saving any bits and oil for the gravy part.
In a large pot/steamer, fill with 4 cups of water and add a chicken bouillion cube.
Steam the carrots and celery until just soft. ( el dente)  Then set aside.
In the same pot, add the cut up potatoes and return to boiling until tender. (the key here is to use the same broth that was used to steam the carrots and celery)  If you need to, add a bit more water.
Set aside 2 cups of the water for use later.
Drain the potatoes, set them aside,
In the same pot, add 2 tablespoons of butter and the chopped garlic. Heat on low until melted.  Do not burn the garlic. 
Now add the potatoes to the melted butter and garlic ,
Add the milk, cream cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper.
Mash until smooth-ish.  Set aside.
Hang on, almost there....
The gravy part begins by melting 2 tablespoons of butter along with 1 tablespoon of flour. (the rue)
Add 1 ladle of the warm chicken broth, 2 tablespoons of milk, and one tablespoon of sour cream. 
Heat and Stir until thickened....I usually add a 2nd ladle of broth, for more gravy.
Now I bring this all together.....
Lightly grease a glass pie dish with butter.
Begin with the layer of chorizo....
Next top the chorizo with the gravy.
Next the layer of all the veggies.  (mix them together beforehand)
Finally the layer of mashed potatoes....see photo.
I baked at 350 for 15 minutes....trying to slightly brown the potatoes.
Let stand at least 15 mintues or you will burn your mouth.
Serve with friends.

Bon Appetite!