Mushroom & Asparagus Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

• 1-½ cups homemade or low-salt canned chicken or vegetable stock
• 4 tsp. softened butter mixed with 4 tsp. flour to form a smooth paste
• 2 lb. mixed fresh mushrooms (button, cremini, chanterelle, shiitake, oyster), cleaned, stemmed, and cut into ½-inch chunks
• 1 oz. bacon (2 large slices) (optional)
• 1 recipe Lucia's Best Mashed Potatoes
• ½ lb. fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 Tbs. tomato paste
• + 7 more ingredients
• • 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme (or ½ tsp. dried)
  • 4 Tbs. butter
  • ¼ cup minced shallot
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • ²/₃ cup dry sherry
  • ¹/₃ cup thinly sliced scallion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil, add the asparagus, and blanch until bright green and crisp-tender, 2 to 3 min. Drain and set aside. In a very large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove (leave the fat in the pan), drain on a paper towel, and set aside with th...

View full recipe at Fine Cooking