Deconstructed Shepherd’s Pie with Sticky Cabbage Relish

I’ve been dreaming this recipe for ages. I kept adjusting the ingredients to my kids’ preferences, perfecting it in my mind with every tweak, but I didn’t think it was going to be this good! The components took on a life of their own and made this one of my best recipes yet.

SERVES 4–6

SLIDERS

• 1½ lbs (¾ kg) ground beef (not lean)
• ¾ cup barbecue sauce
• oil, for grilling

RELISH

• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 8-oz (225-g) bag coleslaw mix
• 1 Tbsp kosher salt
• fresh pepper, to taste
• 3 Tbsp mustard
• 3 Tbsp maple syrup

PUREED POTATOES

• 5 potatoes, cubed
• ½ cup cooking water from the potatoes
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper

FOR ASSEMBLY

• shredded lettuce
• sour pickles, thinly sliced
• plum tomatoes, thinly sliced

Combine ground beef with barbecue sauce for sliders. Cover and marinate for 3–4 hours. Form meat into 2-inch (5-cm) sliders. Heat grill until screaming hot. Drizzle with oil.

Grill sliders for 2 minutes per side. Do not lift from the grill until they release on their own. For potatoes: Cook potatoes in lightly salted water. Reserve ¹⁄₂ cup of water and drain potatoes. Return to pot. Add reserved water, oil, salt, and pepper. Mash until it forms a creamy puree. Taste and adjust seasoning. For the relish: Heat oil in a frying pan over low heat. Add onions, coleslaw mix, and salt. Sauté until translucent.

Add pepper and mustard and stir. Continue sautéing until golden in color. Add maple syrup. Stir until it bubbles a bit to let the syrup evaporate.

To assemble: Pile some lettuce on a plate. Add thinly sliced pickles and tomatoes. Place a slider alongside, followed by 2 tablespoons potato puree, and then another slider.

Garnish with 2–3 tablespoons of relish.

(Originally featured in FamilyTable 661)