Kicked-Up Tater Tot Hotdish

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Slice beef against the grain into thin strips. Then roughly chop into 1/2- to 1-inch sized pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Heat a large cast iron skillet (mine is 12 inches in diameter, with tall sides) over medium to medium-high heat. Add beef and brown it, stirring occasionally. Remove browned beef to a plate with a slotted spoon. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the beef fat, and then add 2 tablespoons of butter to the beef fat in the pan. Once butter is melted, add the onion, red bell pepper, poblano pepper, mushrooms, jalapeño pepper, and garlic. Stir to incorporate. Cook until the onions are transparent and the mushrooms are nicely softened, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Now slide everything in the skillet to one side. Tilt the skillet to draw the juices from the vegetables out into the empty side of the skillet. Add remaining 4 tablespoons of butter to empty side of skillet. When the butter is melted, sprinkle the flour over the butter, whisking all the while (a flat whisk works awesome here!). Draw in as much butter, beef fat, and juices from the vegetables as you can, into the flour. The mixture will be thick and paste-like. Cook for a minute or two, until the mixture is browned and fragrant.

Add soy sauce, Tabasco, and Worcestershire to the gravy side of the skillet. Whisk and cook for 1 minute. Then slowly add the milk while you whisk and scrape the bottom of the skillet. Once this mixture is smoothed out, bring the vegetable mixture into the milk mixture, and then add the reserved beef. Stir to incorporate. Cook until thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Then stir in sour cream, plus 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro. Next add the corn and half of each of the cheeses, and stir to incorporate. Taste the gravy, adjusting with additional salt and pepper if needed. Level mixture out in the skillet. Then top with frozen tater tots.

Place skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes, then remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining cheese cubes and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Place skillet back into the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Then place skillet underneath the broiler for a few minutes, until the hotdish is bubbling and the tater tots and cheese are browned to your liking. Remove from oven and sprinkle with reserved diced red bell pepper, poblano pepper, jalapeño slices, and remaining cilantro. Serve hot. I like to eat mine with ketchup for dipping. Because. Tater tots!