Makes 4 to 6 Servings

6 cups diced potatoes
1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Chef Paul Prudhomme's Meat Magic - in all
2 tablespoons margarine
1 and 1/2 cups chopped onion, in all
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups beef stock or water, in all
5 cups shredded cheddar cheese, in all

Fill a large saucepan half full of water. Bring water to a rapid boil. Add potatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Rinse under cold water and set aside.

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine ground beef with 1 tablespoon Meat Magic. Mix well with your hands to evenly distribute the seasoning. Set aside.

In a 10-inch skillet over high heat, melt margarine. When it comes to a hard sizzle, add 1 cup onion and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or until onion starts to brown. Turn heat down to medium and continue cooking, stirring more frequently, another 2 minutes or until onion is caramelized-- a rich brown color. Add celery and 1 tablespoon Meat Magic. Stir to mix well and cook another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Moving vegetables to one side of the skillet, add seasoned ground beef and remaining onion. Turn heat to high. Cook, stirring frequently to break up meat chunks, about 6 minutes or until meat is brown. Stir in carrot and cook 3 minutes. Add flour and remaining Meat Magic and stir well. Let mixture cook about 4 minutes, without stirring, to allow a brown crust to form on bottom of skillet. When brown crust has formed, scrape it up and and stir to incorporate it. Stir in 1 cup stock to deglaze pan, stirring and scraping bottom and sides of pan until clean. Stir in remaining stock and cook another 2 and 1/2 minutes or until mixture has thickened slightly. Remove from heat.

Place cooked potatoes, meat mixture and 2 cups cheese in a 2 and 1/2 quart ovenproof casserole dish. Stir carefully, to avoid mashing potatoes, just until mixed and mixture is evenly distributed in dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese evenly over top. Bake, uncovered, in oven preheated to "broil" setting about 7 minutes or until cheese has melted and is lightly browned. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Copyright by Chef Paul Prudhomme