SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Pat venison and pork dry, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat a dry 5- to 6-quart wide heavy pot (not nonstick) over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté one third of meat in 1 tablespoon oil, stirring and turning occasionally, until browned all over, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer browned meat with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Sauté remaining meat in 2 batches in same manner, using 1 tablespoon oil per batch and transferring to bowl as cooked.
• Add remaining tablespoon oil to pot, then sauté onions and garlic, stirring, until browned, about 6 minutes. Return meat with any juices in bowl to pot, then add water and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until meat is very tender, about 1 1/4 hours. Transfer meat to a 3 1/2- to 4-quart shallow baking dish (13 by 10 by 2 inches). If cooking liquid measures more than 1/2 cup, boil in pot until reduced to 1/2 cup, then add to meat in baking dish.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Wrap garlic in a double thickness of foil and seal well. Roast until very soft, about 45 minutes.
• While garlic roasts, peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces. Cook in a 4- to 5-quart pot of boiling water, uncovered, until tender, about 10 minutes, then drain.
• Heat cream, milk, and butter in same pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted. Remove from heat and stir in salt and pepper.
• Unwrap garlic and cool slightly, then peel cloves. Force hot potatoes and garlic through ricer into hot cream mixture and stir to combine. Stir in cheese and keep warm, covered.
• Cook onions and garlic in oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add wine and boil, uncovered, until almost all of wine is evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in cream, rosemary, salt, and pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until mixture is reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, about 30 minutes. Add corn and simmer 5 minutes. Discard rosemary.
• Blend 2 cups corn mixture in a blender until almost smooth, about 30 seconds (use caution when blending hot liquids), then stir into remaining corn filling.
• Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
• Top meat filling with corn filling, then spread potato mixture on top and brush with egg. Put baking dish in a foil-lined shallow baking pan (to catch drips) and bake until fillings are bubbling and potato mixture is browned around edge, about 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.
• *Venison shoulder available at underhillfarms.com.
• **Pork shanks, listed as "pork osso buco," at nimanranch.com.
• ***Cheese curds available at hilmarcheese.com and rockcheese.com.