Carnitas Parmentier (Shepherd’s Pie)

After two nights of carnitas tacos, my husband suggested turning the leftover meat into a Mexican-style hachis parmentier. Hachis parmentier, or French Shepherd’s Pie, is essentially ground beef or duck confit, topped with smooth, buttery mashed potatoes and baked until golden on top. I was hesitant, but Frenchy was right! It is delicious! This is a great way of making carnitas leftovers last longer and transforming them into a completely different meal. I have since shared this dish with friends and the results are unanimous – Yum!

Carnitas Parmentier (Mexican-style Shepherd’s Pie)

Servings: 4

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour

About 1/3 of the leftover meat from this recipe for carnitas

2.5 pounds (1.2 kilos) potatoes for mashed potatoes (for example: Yukon Gold or Russet in US, Mona Lisa in France)

2 tablespoons (28 g) butter

¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk

½ tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

Topping:

¼ cup (25 g) Panko or breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon (14 g) melted butter

Wash, peel and cut the potatoes in half. Put in a large pot of salted water, bring to a boil and cook until they fall apart when pierced with a fork (about 30-35 minutes). Drain.

Put the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the flat beater (paddle) and then put the potatoes on top. Warm the milk in the microwave for 20 seconds. Add the warm milk, garlic powder and salt to the potatoes. Whip on high until the potatoes are smooth and creamy. Careful not to over whip or they will become sticky. Add more milk or butter if necessary. If you prefer, use a potato ricer then add the other ingredients.

Preheat oven to 375° F (190° C). In a baking dish, spread out the leftover carnitas meat and juices in an even layer. Put the whipped potatoes over the meat and use a spatula to spread them out evenly. Sprinkle the Panko over the top and drizzle with the melted butter.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until browned on top. Use the broiler on your oven for the last 10 minutes if it is not getting color. Serve hot with a simple salad.

And bon appétit!