cooking fresh ELK SHEPHERD’S PIE From Rachel Shockley Serves 4 to 6
My husband’s cheese-topped elk shepherd’s pie includes Kalamata olives and garlic cloves, making it a bit spicier and richer than the original. Pair it with a fresh spring salad for dinner or make a double batch to freeze for later. Meat filling 2 large cloves of garlic, crushed 1/4 red bell pepper, chopped 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound ground elk 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1/2 teaspoon basil 1/2 teaspoon thyme 2 – 3 carrots, chopped into pennies 1 tablespoon butter 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives Mashed potato topping 1 1/4 pounds red potatoes, cubed 1 cup milk or cream 1/4 stick butter 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Layer the meat mixture into a 9-inch pie plate and spread the mashed potatoes on top. Top with cheese. Bake until cheese is bubbling and brown, about 30 minutes.
RED CHILE CHARD ENCHILADAS From Cecilia Rosacker Serves 6 to 8
24 whole red chile pods 3 – 4 garlic cloves 2 bunches chard 1 onion, diced 2 tablespoons oil plus 1/4 cup for tortillas 1 dozen corn tortillas 2 cups cheddar cheese Clean red chile pods by cutting stem end and removing seeds. Bring to a boil a large stockpot 3/4 full of water. Add the chiles and turn down to a very low simmer, allowing them to thoroughly soften, but not fall apart. Time will vary depending on the chile and its dryness. Remove from heat and let cool for about 10 minutes. While the chiles soak, prepare the chard. Clean and remove stems. Dice stems and onions, and roughly chop chard leaves,
keeping separate. In a large, deep skillet, sauté onions and stems until softened. Add chard leaves to onion and stem mix; cover to steam until bright in color and just softening. In a blender, combine chiles, 3 – 4 cloves garlic, and liquid from the chiles to fill to 3/4 full. Blend on high until a smooth sauce. Pour chile sauce over chard and simmer on low to medium heat allowing water to evaporate and sauce to thicken slightly. If your chile sauce is already thick, add 1 1/2 cups additional chile water to the mix, then reduce with the chard. Grate cheese and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Over mediumhigh heat in a small skillet, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil. Fry each tortilla for about 30 seconds on each side. In a 9 x 12-inch casserole dish, layer 4 corn tortillas then cover with about 1/3 of the chard chile mixture, then 1/3 of the grated cheese. Repeat until you have 3 layers. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the cheese bubbles. Serve with a fried egg.
Preheat the oven to 400º F. Boil potatoes until tender. While potatoes cook, gently sauté garlic in a large pan in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Set aside two cloves of the sautéed garlic for the mashed potatoes. Add ground elk, red bell pepper, and the remainder of the olive oil to the garlic. Brown elk over low heat and add spices as it cooks. Steam carrots until just soft, and then toss in butter until melted. Add carrots and olives to the meat and stir to mix well. Strain water from the potatoes. Heat milk and butter in a small saucepan or in the microwave just until butter melts. Combine with potatoes and mash until creamy, stir in garlic and spices, and add salt to taste. The mashed potatoes should be very flavorful and easy to spread.
WWW.EDIBLESANTAFE.COM
13