Molly Yeh's Beloved Hotdish with Ground Beef + Tater Tots

Molly Yeh's Beloved Hotdish with Ground Beef + Tater Tots

from rachaelrayshow.com

Food Network star Molly Yeh shares her take on the classic Midwestern meal called hotdish, a creamy casserole made with ground beef, veggies + Tater Tots.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil
  • 2 medium shallots
  • finely chopped
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 pounds ground beef
  • 93% lean
  • 12 ounces frozen chopped green beans
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup pale ale (or sub with low-sodium chicken stock)
  • 2 ¼ cups low-sodium chicken stock
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 2 pounds frozen Tater Tots
  • If you're feeling wild: a few big handfuls of shredded cheddar
  • for topping
  • If you're feeling fancy: chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • for topping
  • If you're feeling like you and I should be BFFs: ketchup
  • for serving

Directions

  1. 1

    Arrange a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F

  2. 2

    Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil

  3. 3

    Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes

  4. 4

    Add the ground beef and season it with 1 teaspoon salt

  5. 5

    Brown the beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula

  6. 6

    Stir in the green beans and cook for a few minutes, until thawed

  7. 7

    Use a slotted spoon to transfer the mixture to a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish and spread it out evenly

  8. 8

    Set aside while you make the creamed soup

  9. 9

    Discard the juices that remain in the skillet, wipe it out, and return to medium heat

  10. 10

    Melt the butter and whisk in the flour to make a paste

  11. 11

    Cook, whisking, for 2 minutes

  12. 12

    Whisk in the pale ale, then add the chicken stock very gradually, in 3 or 4 additions, whisking continuously and allowing the mixture to thicken before each addition

  13. 13

    Whisk in the heavy cream, a bunch of turns of black pepper, the thyme, and the nutmeg

  14. 14

    Increase the heat and continue whisking frequently until it just begins to simmer, then reduce the heat to low and simmer very gently for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally

  15. 15

    Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired

  16. 16

    Pour or ladle the mixture all over the ground beef and fold together to incorporate

  17. 17

    Top with perfectly aligned rows and columns of Tater Tots (adding a layer of cheese under or over the tots, if desired) and season with salt and pepper

  18. 18

    Bake until the tots are golden brown and crispy on top; begin checking for doneness at 35 minutes (or a few minutes earlier if you have cheese on top)

  19. 19

    If you want to get the tots even crispier, finish with a few minutes under the broiler

  20. 20

    Let cool slightly, top with parsley, and/or serve with ketchup, if desired

  21. 21

    TO MAKE AHEAD: Complete the steps up through topping with tots (and cheese, if using), assembling in a 9 x 13-inch metal casserole dish

  22. 22

    Let cool, wrap in plastic or foil, and refrigerate or freeze until ready to cook

  23. 23

    It'll last 2 days in the refrigerator and 3 months in the freezer

  24. 24

    If reheating from the fridge, proceed as directed, but add on a few more minutes in the oven to ensure that it's heated through

  25. 25

    To reheat from frozen, cover loosely with foil and bake at 350°F for an hour, then uncover, increase the heat to 450°F, and bake until the tots are golden brown and the innards are heated through; begin checking for doneness at 20 minutes

  26. 26

    Let cool slightly, top with parsley, and/or serve with ketchup, if desired