{"id":3435,"date":"2021-05-09T23:51:20","date_gmt":"2021-05-09T23:51:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/?p=3435"},"modified":"2024-12-22T01:09:45","modified_gmt":"2024-12-22T01:09:45","slug":"making-shepherds-pies-pate-chinois-cottage-pies-photos","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/2021\/05\/09\/making-shepherds-pies-pate-chinois-cottage-pies-photos\/","title":{"rendered":"Making Shepherd’s Pies \/ Pat\u00e9 Chinois \/ Cottage Pies — Photos"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This week’s cooking project from my collection of recipes<\/a> was a half-batch of my version of what in English-speaking Canada we call shepherd’s pies<\/a>, while in French-speaking Canada, we call it pat\u00e9 chinois<\/a>; in the UK, it would be properly considered a cottage pie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I developed this version in the very early 1990’s after working in a summer camp kitchen, where we made camp-sized quantities of a basic version with cooked ground beef, cream-style corn, and mashed potatoes; I liked the dish but added onions, ketchup, peas, and carrots, and kept to the spirit of large quantities in order to cook for the freezer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note that in the text below, while there may appear to be a distinct sequence of separate steps to be taken one after the other, presented as such for the sake of the narrative, many steps were actually performed simultaneously and \/ or heavily overlapping with each other as given steps were finished and new steps begun. This was all the more the case given that I had performed a number of mise-en-place<\/em> activities in advance: Ground beef was measured out and bagged separately, a week in advance on the day that I’d bought several packages of ground beef on sale, and before all of it was put in the freezer; potatoes were measured out, peeled, and cubed the night before the main cooking day; and carrots were prepared and sliced the night before the main cooking day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making the pies:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last week, after stocking up on ground beef on sale, I set up my kitchen scale, putting a plate on the scale and setting the scale to zero:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Plate on kitchen scale and scale set to zero<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

I measured out two pounds of ground beef …<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Two pounds of ground beef measured out<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

… and the ground beef was placed in a separate bag and placed in the freezer, ready for this week’s cooking project:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Measured out ground beef in a freezer bag<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The night before I did the main cooking, I set a pot on the kitchen scale, and set the scale to zero:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Pot placed on kitchen scale and scale set to zero<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Five pounds of potatoes were measured out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Five pounds of potatoes measured out<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The pot of potatoes was filled with water:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Pot of potatoes filled with water<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Pot of potatoes filled with water<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The potatoes were peeled:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Potatoes peeled<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As the potatoes were peeled, they were placed back into the pot of water:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Peeled potatoes placed back in pot of water<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The peeled potatoes were then individually taken out and placed on a cutting board:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Peeled potato taken out for slicing<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The peeled potatoes were sliced lengthwise: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Sliced potato sliced lengthwise<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

… the potatoes were then cut into large cubes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Potatoes cut into large cubes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

… and the potato cubes were placed back into the pot of water as they were cut:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Potato cubes placed back in the pot of water<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The water in the pot of potato cubes was drained:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Water in pot drained<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Fresh water was put in the pot of potato cubes to rinse the potato cubes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Rinse water put in pot of potato cubes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The rinse water was drained, and the pot filled again with fresh water, covering the potato cubes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Third round of fresh water covering the potato cubes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

On the main cooking day, the stove was turned on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Stove turned on (dial on the left)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

… the pot of potatoes was placed on the stove:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Pot of potatoes placed on stove<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Salt was measured out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Salt measured out<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

… and put into the pot of potatoes being brought to a boil:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Sat added to the pot of potatoes being brought to a boil<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The potatoes were brought to a boil:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Potatoes brought to a boil<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A timer was set to 20 minutes, the time the potatoes were boiled:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Potatoes boiled for 20 minutes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The night before I did the main cooking, carrots were taken out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Carrots taken out<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The carrots were cleaned and trimmed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Carrots cleaned and trimmed<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The carrots were run through a food processor with the slicing blade tool:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Carrots run through food processor with slicing tool<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Sliced carrots<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The sliced carrots were transferred to a pot:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Sliced carrots transferred to a pot<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Sliced carrots transferred to a pot<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Water was added to the pot of carrots, covering the carrots:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Water added to the pot of carrots<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Water covering carrots in pot<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

On the main cooking day, a second burner on the stove was turned on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Second burner on the stove turned on (dial on the right)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The carrots were put on the stove and brought to a boil:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Carrots brought to a boil<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A timer was set to five minutes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Sliced carrots boiled for five minutes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

… and at this point I remembered to add salt to the pot of boiling carrots: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Salt added to pot of boiling carrots<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

After five minutes of boiling, the carrots were drained, and the pot was placed in the fridge to help cool down the carrots:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Carrots cooling in the fridge<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

On cooking day, onions were taken out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Onions taken out<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The onions were trimmed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Onions trimmed<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The onions were chopped coarsely:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Coarsely chopped onions<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The onions were placed in an electric skillet: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Onions placed in electric skillet<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The ground beef, which was measured out and frozen last week, and defrosted beginning the day before cooking day, was placed in the electric skillet with the chopped onions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Ground beef placed in electric skillet with the onions<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The electric skillet was turned on:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Electric skillet turned on<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Salt was added to the beef and onions in the electric skillet:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Salt added to beef and onions<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Salt added to beef and onions<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The beef was broken up and mixed together with the onions and salt, while all the ingredients were frying:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Beef broken into smaller pieces and mixed with onions<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Part way through the cooking of the beef and onions, ketchup was taken out …<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Ketchup taken out<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

… and ketchup was added to the frying beef and onion mixture part way through:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Ketchup added to frying beef and onion mix<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

At this point, some oven proof baking pans were laid out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Baking pans laid out<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

And once the beef, onion, and ketchup mixture was fully cooked …<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Fully cooked beef, onion, and ketchup mixture<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

… the cooked beef, onion, and ketchup mixture was transferred to the various oven-proof baking pans:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Cooked beef, onion, and ketchup mixture transferred to the baking pans<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The baking pans with cooked beef, onion, and ketchup mixture were put aside until later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this point, the potatoes had been boiling for twenty minutes, and the pot was drained:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Drained boiled potatoes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Margarine was taken out, and a dollop of margarine was scooped out with a spoon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Dollop of margarine scooped out with a spoon<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The margarine was added to the boiled potatoes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Margarine added to the boiled potatoes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Salt was again measured out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Salt measured out<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

And the salt was added to the boiled potatoes and margarine:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Salt added to boiled potatoes and margarine<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Milk was measured out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Milk measured out<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

And the milk was added to the boiled potatoes, margarine, and salt:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Milk added to boiled potatoes, margarine, and salt<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The boiled potatoes, margarine, salt, and milk were mashed together with a hand masher:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Boiled potatoes, margarine, salt, and milk mashed together<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Mashed potatoes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The mashed potatoes were put aside until later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The night before, cans of cream style corn and a can opener were taken out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Cream style corn and can opener taken out<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

On cooking day, the cream-style corn cans were opened, and the cream style corn was spread over the cooked beef, onion, and ketchup mixture in the baking pans:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Cream-style corn poured over the cooked beef, onion, and ketchup mixture<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Frozen peas were taken out:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Frozen peas taken out<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Frozen peas were sprinkled over the cream corn layer in the baking pans:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Frozen peas were sprinkled over the cream corn layer<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Frozen peas were sprinkled over the cream corn layer in the baking pans<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The pot of cooled carrots was taken out of the fridge, and the carrot slices were layered on top of the peas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Carrots layered on top of the peas<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Carrots layered on top of the peas<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Carrots layered on top of the peas<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The still warm mashed potatoes were spread on the top of the pies in the baking pans:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Mashed potatoes spread on the top of the ingredients in the baking pans<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Mashed potatoes spread on the top of the ingredients in the baking pans<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Freezer bags were labelled:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Freezer bags labelled<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The shepherd’s pies were placed in the freezer bags, save one (top row, centre), which was covered in wax paper so that I could put it in the fridge for supper later in the day:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Casseroles placed in freezer bags<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The shepherd’s pies destined for the freezer were placed in a freezer:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Casseroles placed in the freezer<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Later on, when it was time to make supper, my countertop convection oven was set to 350F:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Countertop convection oven set to 350F<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The shepherd’s pie which was put aside earlier was placed in the countertop convection oven:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Shepherd’s pies placed in the countertop convection oven<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Once the shepherd’s pie was baked and the mashed potato top browned, the shepherd’s pie was taken out of the countertop convection oven:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Cooked shepherd’s pie taken out of countertop convection oven<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

And finally, the yummy shepherd’s pie was served and eaten!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Shepherd’s pie served on a plate<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This week’s cooking project from my collection of recipes was a half-batch of my version of what in English-speaking Canada we call shepherd’s pies, while in French-speaking Canada, we call it pat\u00e9 chinois; in the UK, it would be properly considered a cottage pie. I developed this version in the very early 1990’s after working … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Making Shepherd’s Pies \/ Pat\u00e9 Chinois \/ Cottage Pies — Photos”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[44,43,312,45],"tags":[179,177,176],"class_list":["post-3435","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-cooking","category-food","category-freezer-food","category-recipes","tag-cottagepie","tag-patechinois","tag-shepherdspie"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3435","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3435"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3435\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3533,"href":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3435\/revisions\/3533"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3435"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3435"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.malak.ca\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3435"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}