Bison and Red Wine Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

• 0.3 cup flour 
• 2  bay leaves 
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 3.5 pounds beef short ribs boneless cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 cup canned tomatoes canned crushed
• 0.5 cup carrots peeled chopped
• 0.5 cup celery chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 2 cups wine dry red (such as Syrah)
• 1 large eggs 
• 1 teaspoon sage fresh chopped
• 1 teaspoon thyme sprigs fresh chopped
• 3  garlic clove chopped
• 0.3 cup cup heavy whipping cream 
• 1 tablespoon paprika sweet
• 2.7 cups chicken broth 
• 2 tablespoons olive oil ()
• 1 cup onion chopped
• 1 cup parmesan cheese finely grated
• 1.5 cups parsnips peeled
• 10 ounces pearl onions 
• 2 pounds baking potatoes peeled quartered
• 0.3 pound slab bacon 
• 12  turnip trimmed peeled
• 0.5 cup butter unsalted (1 stick)
• 1 tablespoon water 
• 0.8 cup milk whole

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• paper towels
• oven
• whisk
• mixing bowl
• pot

Directions

1. Whisk first 4 ingredients in largebowl.
2. Add bison; toss.
3. Heat large pot overmedium heat.
4. Add bacon; cook until crisp.
5. Transfer to paper towels.
6. Add 2 tablespoonsoil to pot; increase heat to medium-high.Working in batches, cook bison untilbrowned, adding more oil by tablespoonfulsas needed. Return to same bowl.
7. Addchopped onion, carrot, celery, and garlic topot; cover and cook until vegetables soften,stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
8. Add wine; bring to boil, scraping up anybrowned bits.
9. Add broth, tomatoes, bayleaves, thyme, sage, reserved bacon, andbison. Reduce heat to low. Cover; simmeruntil bison is tender, stirring occasionally,about 2 hours (beef may take 1 1/2 hours).
10. Meanwhile, cook pearl onions in largesaucepan of boiling salted water 2 minutes.
11. Transfer to bowl of ice water; trim and peel.
12. Transfer bison to rimmed baking sheet.
13. Cut meat off bones; cut meat into 3/4-inchcubes.
14. Add parsnips and turnips to pot withbison sauce. Simmer until tender, stirringoccasionally, 10 to 15 minutes.
15. Add pearlonions; cook 5 minutes. Return meat to pot.Season with salt and pepper.
16. Cookpotatoes in large pot of boiling lightly saltedwater until tender, 18 to 20 minutes.
17. Drain.
18. Heat milk, butter, and cream in mediumsaucepan until almost boiling. Rice potatoesinto large mixing bowl; add milk mixture,1 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/2 teaspoonpepper and whisk until smooth and slightlycooled, about 2 minutes.
19. Whisk in egg.
20. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spoon bisonfilling into 3-quart (13x9x2-inch) bakingdish. Spoon mashed potatoes over; smoothtop to cover completely.
21. Beat egg and 1 tablespoonwater to blend.
22. Brush over potatoes, thensprinkle cheese all over. DO AHEAD: Can bemade 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
23. Bake pie until top is browned and fillingis heated through, 30 to 40 minutes (50 to 60minutes if chilled).
24. Let rest 10 minutes.
25. Try a full-bodied red, likethe 2007 Auguste Bessac Crozes-Hermitage(France, $20), with the shepherd's pie.
26. Bon Appétit