Chipotle Salisbury Steak with Mashed potatoes and Mushroom Bacon Gravy

For the Mashed Potatoes:

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks

• ½ cup heavy cream, plus more as needed

• ½ cup whole milk, plus more as needed

• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

For the Salisbury Steak:

Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons canola oil

• 5 thick-cut slices bacon, cut crosswise into ¼-inch-wide lardons

• 1 medium sweet onion, finely diced

• 5 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste with ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 large egg, lightly whisked

• 2 chipotle chiles, more to taste, finely chopped

• 1 pounds ground beef (80/20)

• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons salted butter

• 1/2 pound portobello mushrooms cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 cup dry red wine

• 3 cups low-sodium chicken stock or broth

• 3 sprigs thyme

Instructions:

For the mashed potatoes, put the potatoes in a large pot, add cold water to cover by 2 inches and season with 2 tbsp salt. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until fork tender, about 25 minutes. Drain well and return to the pot over high heat for a minute or two to dry out the potatoes. Pass them through a potato ricer or mash with a potato masher into a large bowl.

Heat the cream, milk and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts and the liquid is warm, about 5 minutes. Add the mixture to the potatoes and mix until combined. Add more cream and milk, as needed, if the mashed potatoes seem too dry. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm while you prepare the Salisbury steak.

**For the Salisbury steak, line a plate with paper towels.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon lardons and cook until golden brown and crispy and the fat has rendered, about 8 minutes. Leaving behind the fat and remove the bacon to the paper towels.

Heat bacon fat over high heat until it shimmers. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Transfer the mixture, along with the fat, to a large bowl and let cool slightly.

Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Add the egg and chipotle to the cooled onion-garlic mixture and mix until combined. Add the meat and the panko, season with salt and pepper and gently mix to combine. Divide the meat mixture into 4 equal portions and form each portion into an oval patty about 3/4 inch thick. Place the patties on the prepared sheet pan, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.**

While the meat is chilling, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and the butter in a large high-sided sauté pan over high heat until it shimmers. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown and their liquid has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle the 3 tbsp flour over the mushrooms and add a tbsp of olive oil, cook, stirring constantly, until the flour turns a light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in the stock, thyme and bacon and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the mushroom gravy begins to thicken, about 8 minutes.

When ready to cook the Salisbury steaks, heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the patties and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Carefully transfer the patties to the gravy and cook, turning every 10 minutes, spooning the gravy over them, until the meat is cooked through and tender, about 30 minutes.

Serve the Salisbury steaks with mashed potatoes and spoon the gravy over both.

Credits to Bobby Flay!

Urban Cowgill November 2021