Tonight I thought I'd see what all the fuss is about with - Tater Tot Hotdish! I keep seeing it online. I have seen the great Molly Yeh make versions on her show, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Tonight's challenge was to use only items I had in the fridge/freezer. Let me tell you...it turned out amazing. And with plant-based meat. SO GOOD...
Cook up the Protein
In a large saucepan, heat up about a tablespoon of olive oil, and then saute 1 chopped white onion, with a pinch of salt. Once softened and slightly browned, add 1 pound of plant-based meat (of course you can use ground beef or turkey...I chose not to tonight). Season with salt and pepper, and brown the meat. Then add a 10-ounce (or so) package of frozen peas. Then let it all cook together for a few minutes, then spread in the bottom of a 13" x 9" inch baking pan.
Make the Sauce
In the same pan, throw in a half a stick of butter, let it melt, then whisk in 1/4 cup flour. Whisk together for a minute or so, and then whisk in 2 1/2 cups of stock (veggie or chicken). Your sauce should start to thicken.
Next, whisk in 1/4 cup of milk, about 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley, and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg. Let this all simmer...the result should be a "cream of something" soup. Pour this over the meat mixture. Sprinkle some grated cheese over the top, and then place in nice and precise rows frozen tater tots (the star of the show!).
Bake it Up!
Let this concoction bake for about 35 minutes at 400 degrees until hot and bubbly, and then let sit under the broiler a few minutes to really crisp up the tots.
Enjoy!
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