French Fridays with Dorie: Hachis Parmentier

This week's French Fridays with Dorie challenge was Hachis Parmentier, a french version of shepphard's pie. How can one go wrong when meat and potatoes can together so nicely in one dish? This dish certainly doesn't disappoint, with its rich, meaty filling, creamy potato mash and cheesy topping.

I looked to Dorie's "bonne idée" again and made the quick version of hachis parmentier, starting with lean ground beef rather than cooked beef. While I knew I wasn't going to get the same depths of flavour than if I were using cooked beef, the ground beef is a great alternative for a busy lifestyle and allows you to put together the dish in no time at all. Don't skimp and use good-quality sausage to really add some great flavour to the filling.



As I didn't cook the beef in a bouillon, I sautéed down the vegetables first before adding the meat. A couple of garlic cloves were added in with the boiling potatoes and mashed to add some extra flavour. I love cheese, so I was generous with it, using Gruyère and Parmiggiano Reggiano.

The recipe claims to make four generous servings, but trust me, this can easily feed six, perhaps even more if you've got small appetites at the table. This is a really comforting, country dish that the whole family can enjoy. Yet another great recipe from Around My French Table.