Rudolph Pie (Christmas Shepherd's Pie)

Ingredients:

• 1 kg of chopped venison
• 1 kg of minced pork
• 50 g dried porcini mushrooms
• 450 g of mushrooms, sliced ​​or quartered
• 2 cans (400 g) chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste (dissolve in 1/2 cup water)
• 4 kg of potatoes
• 4 heads of onions
• 4 carrots
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 3 - 5 tbsp. l. olive oil
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of wheat flour
• 1/3 cup fortified red table wine Marsala
• Worcestershire sauce to taste
• 1.5 kg peeled and chopped parsnip root
• 1/2 cup full-fat milk
• 110g melted butter, plus a few extra pieces for spreading on the pie
• A pinch of freshly ground nutmeg

Preparation:

1. Pour 2 cups of just-boiled water over the mushrooms and let them sit while you prepare everything else. Peel and chop the onion, carrot, and garlic cloves. I use a food processor for this, chopping them in two batches of 2 each.
2. Pour oil into a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan and, when hot, add the chopped onion, carrot, and garlic. Cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes, adding salt when the vegetables begin to brown.
3. Drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid. Chop them coarsely and add them to the vegetable mixture along with the button mushrooms. After 5 minutes, when the fresh mushrooms are lightly browned, transfer the vegetables to a plate so you can begin cooking the meat.
   
   Add a little more oil to the pan and add the minced meat, breaking it up into pieces with a wooden fork or spatula. Stir for about 5 minutes, until there are almost no raw parts left. Season generously with salt, and then return the vegetables to the pan.
4. Add the flour and, continuing to stir, pour in the remaining liquid from soaking the mushrooms, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, Marsala wine and a few drops of Worcestershire sauce.
   
   Stir well, cover loosely, and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, allowing the liquid to evaporate gradually and the flavor to become more concentrated. This will take about an hour. It's okay if it takes longer, as long as the heat is very low.
5. Once the mixture is ready, taste to ensure the seasonings are sufficient and remove the pan from the heat. If this helps, you can prepare the base ahead of time (then freeze it or store it in the refrigerator for a few days).
   
   This means that when you're ready to serve the pie, you only need to prepare the top layer. Some people like to cook the entire shepherd's pie and then reheat it, but I think it's better when you don't have to refrigerate it for several days (sometimes this isn't ideal for potato mixtures). Half a day, or even more, might be fine in a cold, winter kitchen.
   
   An easier option is to refrigerate the prepared base and store the potato and parsnip puree in a bowl, wrapped in cling film, in a cool place in the kitchen for as long as needed, combining them together before putting the pie in the oven.
6. The amount of potatoes called for in the recipe shouldn't be altered, so hand out vegetable peelers to anyone who asks if they need help. Or use a potato masher to avoid peeling. Either way, boil the potatoes in a large pot of salted water until almost tender, then add the peeled and diced parsnips.
   
   Cook until the potatoes and parsnips are tender enough to mash easily but not yet falling apart. Drain and let dry slightly in a colander while you warm the milk and melt the butter in the hot pan where the potatoes were boiled. Press the potatoes and parsnips through a potato masher directly into the pan (or mash them), then grate in a little fresh nutmeg and add salt to taste.
7. Place the meat mixture in a large dish, approximately 32 x 37 cm. Then spread the mashed potatoes on top, smoothing it out with a spatula, trying to completely cover the edges to prevent the meat underneath from splattering in the oven.
   
   Use a fork to draw lines on the top, then arrange pieces of butter and drizzle with Worcestershire sauce. If you're cooking immediately, i.e., while everything is still warm, about 10 minutes at 220°C (425°F) will be enough to heat the pie through and brown and crisp the top. If the ingredients are cold, cook for about an hour at 190°C (355°F).