Aaron in the Kitchen

Hachis Parmentier

Ground beef: 1,000 grams
Large onion: 1 onion
Fresh garlic: 6 cloves
Olive oil: 4 tablespoons (or substitute with butter)
Vodka: 1/2 cup (Used to deglaze the aromatics and enhance sweetness)
Chicken stock/broth: (optional, for added moisture)
Seasoning Blend: Creole seasoning, Slap Ya Mama Cajun seasoning, thyme, rosemary, onion powder, white pepper, and salt

Peel one large onion and 6 cloves of garlic.
Drop the onion and garlic cloves directly into a food processor and pulse until they are cleanly chopped down into fine bits.

Set your cooking pot over high heat.
Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil to the bottom of the pot.
Dump in the processed garlic and onions, stirring continuously to let them sweat and cook down.
Pour 1/2 cup of vodka directly over the hot garlic and onions. Stir gently and allow the liquid to cook down to bring out the natural sweetness of the aromatics.

Add your 1,000 grams of ground beef into the pan with the sweet onions and garlic.
Shake in your first heavy layer of seasonings: add a balanced amount of onion powder, Creole seasoning, Slap Ya Mama, thyme, white pepper, rosemary, and salt.
Stir well to break up the meat as it browns.
Taste the meat as it cooks and repeat with a duplicate layer of seasonings if it requires more flavor depth.
Juiciness Pro-Tip: To ensure your meat base stays exceptionally moist, slightly undercook the beef so there are still a few pink bits remaining. Because the dish finishes in the oven, the meat will cook through perfectly later without drying out. Spoon in a small splash of leftover chicken broth if you prefer an even juicier meat sauce.
Transfer the finished beef mixture into a separate bowl and set it aside.

Peel and chop your 2 kilograms of potatoes into uniform chunks.
Place the potatoes directly into a cooking vessel and submerge them completely in chicken stock instead of plain water.
Cook the potatoes until they are completely tender.
Strain the cooked potatoes out of the liquid using a slotted spoon, allowing a tiny splash of the starchy chicken stock to remain behind for flavor. Note: Avoid letting too much boiling liquid stay with the potatoes, as excess water will cause your mash to turn gritty and runny.

Transfer the hot potatoes to a mixing bowl and drop in 300 grams of goat cheese, 113 grams of butter, and pour over the heavy cream.
Mash the ingredients together aggressively. The residual heat from the hot starches will naturally melt the cheese and butter into a thick, velvety consistency.
Taste for seasoning and spice up the mash by folding in garlic powder, salt, onion powder, black pepper, and a light touch of rosemary and thyme. Stir until the cheese completely dissolves and the mixture is totally smooth.

Grab a standard deep baking dish.
Spread your seasoned, juicy ground beef mixture evenly across the absolute bottom of the dish to form the first solid layer.
Spoon the rich goat cheese mashed potatoes directly over the beef. Use a spatula to carefully smooth the potatoes out to the perimeters of the dish, locking the meat beneath it.
Scatter 200 grams of shredded Emmental cheese generously across the entire top surface of the potatoes to ensure full coverage.

Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F).
Place the uncovered baking dish onto the center rack of your oven.
Bake until the casserole is bubbling hot and the Emmental cheese transforms into a beautiful, crispy, golden-brown crunchy topping.
Carefully remove the hot dish from the oven.
Scatter your 20g of chopped fresh chives evenly across the molten cheese crown for a vibrant pop of color and freshness. Slice into thick squares and serve hot.