2021 Cooks the Books Recipe: École des métiers de la restauration et du tourisme de Montréal

Pâté chinois (Shepherd’s Pie)

Follow on Instagram // Facebook 

 

Pâté chinois (Shepherd’s Pie)

The Pâté chinois or Shepherd’s Pie is a recipe that passes the test of time. From the pioneers who constructed the coast-to-coast railroad, unifying the provinces to still being one the favorite family dish on many Canadian tables. This contemporary version brings a twist to this classic. All the elements in this recipe symbolise the globality of the country’s communities.

Print

Pâté chinois (Shepherd’s Pie)

Course Main Course
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Servings 4 servings
Author William Besner and Jean-François Perron, student chefs from École des métiers de la restauration et du tourisme de Montréal

Ingredients

Pulled braised beef in BBQ sauce:

  • 1 onion chopped
  • 4 tbsp (60 ml) canola oil,
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 2 Italian tomatoes peeled diced
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) Canadian whisky
  • 1 lb (500 g) beef chuck steak
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) paprika
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) ketchup
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml0 tomato paste
  • 2 cups (500 ml) beef stock
  • Salt and pepper
  • Canola Oil

Corn pearls:

  • 0.18 oz (5 g) agar-agar
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) maple syrup
  • 1 cup (250 ml) frozen corn kernels
  • 1 cup (250 ml) vegetable stock
  • salt
  • chili pepper
  • 4 cups (1 l) canola oil very cold

Mashed potatoes:

  • 3 cups (750 ml) Yukon gold potatoes diced
  • 3 tbsp (45 ml) margarine
  • 3 tbsp (45 ml) milk
  • Salt

Green tomato ketchup:

  • 2 cup (500 ml) green tomatoes, peeled, diced
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml0 coarse salt
  • 1 cup (250 ml) apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) sugar
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) pickling spices
  • 1 cup (250 ml) celery stalks diced
  • 1 cup (250 ml) onion diced
  • 1 cup (250 ml) peeled apple diced

Pickled beets:

  • 2 medium sized beets
  • 1 cup (250 ml) white vinegar
  • 1 cup (250 ml) water
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) sugar
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml0 mustard seeds
  • 1 bay leaf

Fried potato sphere:

  • 1 Russet potato peeled
  • Canola oil

Seaweed:

  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) Atlantic Sea Bacon Dulse

Instructions

Pulled braised beef in BBQ sauce:

  • Sweat the onion with the canola oil. Add the tomatoes then the garlic. Cook for two minutes. Deglazed with the whisky. Add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for 15 minutes. Blend with a hand mixer and set aside.
  • Pre-heat the oven at 300°F (150°C). Season the beef with salt and pepper. Rub the meat with the paprika. Sear all side of the beef in hot oil then set aside. Remove the extra oil and deglaze the pan with the BBQ sauce. Put the meat back in and bring to boil. Cover and braise for 3 hours, until the meat is tender and shred’s itself easily. Reserve the cooked meat on the side. Strain the sauce and reduce to desired consistency. Shred the meat and mix with half the sauce. Keep the rest of the sauce for plating.

Corn pearls:

  • Liquidize the frozen corn kernels with 1 cup vegetable broth. Put the mash obtained in a cotton cheese and collect the corn juice.
  • Mix the corn juice, maple syrup, agar-agar in a saucepan. Bring to boil for 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and chili pepper. Strain the mixture and fill a squeeze bottle with it. Delicately, let it drip, drop by drop, in the cold oil. Rinse the pearls in cold water and reserve.

Mashed potatoes:

  • Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water, add salt. Bring to boil and cook throughout. Strain and mash. Add the milk and margarine. Mix well, seasoned to taste, and reserve.

Pickled beets:

  • Place the whole beets in a saucepan and cover with cold water and some salt. Bring to boil and cook until tender. Drain, cool and peel. Cut in 1 cm diced and reserve. Mix the vinegar with the sugar, mustard seeds, and bay leaf. Bring to boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Poor the hot marinate on top of the beets. Cool down and reserve.

Green tomato ketchup:

  • Peele the green tomatoes and cut in 1cm dice. Mix with the coarse salt. Bring the vinegar, the sugar, and the spices to boil and infuse for 15 min. Remove the spices. Add all the ingredients and cook gently for 40 min or until the celery stalks are tender. Reserve.

Fried potato sphere:

  • Cut a dozen aluminium foil strips of 3 cm x 20 cm. Fold the strips to form a 10 cm ball delicately without squeezing them too much. Cut the potato with a spiralizer to form long noodles like potatoes. Wrap the potato noodle all around the foil ball. Wrap everything again with an aluminum foil poked with tiny holes to maintain everything in place. Fry in canola oil at 320°F (160°C) for 2m30sec. Remove the ball from the fryer and strain. Let cool completely. Remove the foil around the fried potato sphere. Carefully remove the foil strips inside the sphere with scissors.

Plating:

  • Reheat the beef, the sauce, and the mashed potatoes. Warm the corn pearls. Sauce half the plate with the cooking juice reduction. With the help of a metal circle in the center of the plate, dress the meat, then the pearls and finish with the mashed potatoes. Garnish the other half of the plate with the pickled beets, the green tomato ketchup, and the seaweed. Finish the plating by placing the crispy potato sphere on top of the mashed potatoes.

Notes

Chef’s tips:
Be extra careful when you use deep frying. Observe security measures and safety recommendations.