Rancher’s Pie

I previously mentioned a recipe I submitted for a community cookbook. Yum, scallops. Well here’s the second recipe I submitted. A twist on shepherd’s pie, I added some southwestern flavors and created Rancher’s Pie. It was quite tasty, if I do say so myself. Now you can make it, too.

• 5 gold potatoes, peeled
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ½ cup sour cream
• 4 oz can of diced chiles
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ½ pound chorizo
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 14.5 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 cup corn, canned or fresh
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup Mexican beer
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• Cilantro

Peel potatoes and boil for 35 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork.     (Cut the potatoes in pieces to shorten the cooking time, if you wish.)

Mash with butter, sour cream, chiles, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper. Cover and set aside. The green chiles really make this special, so don’t skip them. You can use mild ones if you are a wuss.

Next, brown chorizo over medium heat in a deep skillet and remove when cooked. Add olive oil and deglaze pan. Add chopped onions and cook until soft, about 7 minutes. Add ground beef to the onions and cook through, stirring frequently.

Add bell pepper and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the tomatoes with their juices, and the corn. Drain the corn if using canned. Add the cooked chorizo.

Stir in the cayenne, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt and flour. Pour in beer and broth and let simmer and thicken for 25 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Pour mixture into large pie plate. Carefully top with mashed potatoes smoothing to the edges, covering the entire dish.

Bake in oven for 30 minutes. Sprinkle cheddar evenly on top and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until cheddar is melted. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve.

Tip: For parties, serve in crocks!