Adobo Shepherd’s Pie with Andouille Sausage

A definition. Luck.

/lek/
verb
* to prosper or succeed especially through chance or good fortune
* to come upon something desirable by chance
noun
* a force that brings good fortune or adversity
* the events or circumstances that operate for or against an individual
* something that happens to a person by or as if by chance
* the accidental way things happen

It can be the force, or it can be the fortune. So.

Is it good? Isn’t it? Is it subjective? Who decided? Does it depend? Is it happenstance? Is it in hindsight? Is it in comparison? Is it in spite of? What caused it? Is it circumstantial? Why now? Does it last? Is it forgotten? Does it change? Who decides?

In light of recent developments in my life, I have been contemplating about this a lot. Luck can run either way, can’t it? Sometimes, I think, out of humility, we discredit our contribution to fortunate events. Sometimes, I think, out of vanity, we give credit where credit is not due. Sometimes, I think, a good thing happening can make you wonder what the other stuff was for.

Someone observed to me recently that the universe seems cruel sometimes because it is indifferent. But it doesn’t always seem cruel, does it? I suppose everything happens as it should, either way.

We have stewed root vegetables and andouille sausage in a sticky, sweet adobo-based sauce. Yukon Gold potatoes are smashed and tinted red. Scallion speckles. Chipotle swirl. It browns in the oven. We serve it warm, with sauce spilling beyond its confines. It is everything at once, overflowing with heat and smoke and depth and deliciousness.

With mitted hands, we transport the dish from its hearth. The air is savory and sweet. The mixture underneath still bubbles. Take note, for a moment, the glint of light. It is comfort, and it is simple. Unassuming, even. But luck is how you look, remember.

Savor for a moment that what rests on your table is wreathed in Gold(s).

Happy St. Patrick’s Day. Take care of yourselves. Drink responsibly. Ask for help getting home, if you need it. Good luck with the hangover.

One Year: Roasted Carrots with Honey, Harissa, and Yogurt
Two Years: Chickpea Salad Sandwiches
Three Years: Prune, Pistachio, and Dark Chocolate Muffins
Four Years: Cranberry-Hazelnut Granola

Adobo Shepherd’s Pie with Andouille Sausage
Makes one 8×8 dish

Mashed Potatoes:
1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup whole milk
2 tbsp high quality salted butter
2 scallions
1 tbsp adobo sauce (from one can chipotles in adobo)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Filling:
2 Andouille Sausages, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds, then quartered
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and diced
2 parsnips, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
1 turnip, diced
2 tbsp adobo sauce (from one can chipotles in adobo)
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/4 cup vegetable broth
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Mashed Potatoes:
Add potatoes to boiling, salted water and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat milk, butter, and scallions. Remove from heat and set aside. When potatoes are finished cooking, drain and transfer to a large bowl. Pour milk mixture over potatoes and mash until smooth. Stir in adobo sauce, then season to taste with salt and pepper.

Filling:
In a large skillet on medium heat, cook sausages until browned. Once cooked through, transfer sausages to a small bowl and continue cooking vegetables. In the same skillet, heat olive oil. Add tomato paste, stirring to combine, then add onion and cook until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add bell pepper and cook another two minutes, then add parsnips, carrots, and turnips, cooking until tender, but firm (about five minutes). Add sausages back into the mixture. Add adobo sauce, brown sugar, paprika, thyme, and cayenne, stirring to coat. Pour in vegetable broth, then turn up the heat to medium high, allowing the liquid to reduce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to an 8×8 ceramic dish. Top with mashed potatoes, using a spatula to spread evenly over the vegetable filling. Broil until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Serve.