Shepherd’s Pie with Bacon, Beef and Horseradish Blue Cheese Potatoes

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef from shank or chuck hand trimmed and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 6 slices smoky thick cut bacon diced
• Salt & pepper
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 carrots chopped
• 2 small ribs celery chopped
• 4 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 large Bay leaf
• 1 bundle sage and parsley (few sprigs each)
• 2 tablespoons All purpose flour rounded TSP
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup Dry red wine
• 2 1/2 cups Beef stock
• 2 1/2 lbs russet potatoes peeled and cubed
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1 cup Sour cream
• 2 tablespoons Horseradish rounded TBSP
• 1 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 1 cup Parm or sharp cheddar
• Nutmeg
• 1 cup finely chopped chives
• 2 large egg yokes
• sprinkle Paprika

Instructions

1. Pat the meat dry after chopping and before cooking. Heat a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil and bacon and cook to crisp. Remove to a plate and drain all but 3 - 4 Tbsps drippings from the pot. Add beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook in 2 batches to brown and crust. Remove meat to the plate with bacon.
2. To meat drippings add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay herb bundle, salt and pepper. Cook partially covered 10 - 12 mins to soften, stirring occasionally. Add flour and stir one minute to cook out raw taste, add Worcestershire and wine and stir. Add stock and beef and bacon back to pan, reduce heat to simmer and cook covered until tender, stirring occasionally, up to 40 minutes.
3. Place potatoes in a pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Salt water and cook to tender, drain and pass through ricer. Stir in warm milk to thin to your liking, add sour cream, horseradish, cheese, pepper, nutmeg and chives. Adjust seasoning, stir in egg yolks and pipe or spread over meat filling in casserole or single serve dishes.
4. Heat broiler and place a rack in center of oven. Brown potatoes and sprinkle with paprika to serve.