I really fancied a hearty Sunday dinner this weekend, so I decided to make a British classic – Cottage Pie!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 500g lean minced beef
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato puree
- 500ml beef stock
- Glug of Red wine
- 2 tsp mixed herbs
- 2 tsp all purpose seasoning
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- 500g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 10g butter
- 50ml milk
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Heat oil in pan and add mince and onions. Season with salt, ground black pepper and all purpose seasoning. Fry until minced is browned and drain any excess fat.
- Add garlic, tomato puree, beef stock, herbs, cayenne, red wine. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for about 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Put potatoes into a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Cook for around 15 mins until soft enough for mashing. Drain well.
- Mash potatoes in the saucepan. Add butter, milk and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer meat mixture to an ovenproof dish.
- Pipe or spread mashed potato on top. Grind pepper over the top and cook in the oven for 35-40 mins until golden brown and bubbling.
- VoilĂ !
I have to say I didn’t have enough potatoes in the house, but hey ho, it was still delicious! You can also add carrots to further enhance this dish.
(Adapted from a recipe for Shepherd’s Pie in the OXO Cookbook, Quadrille, London, 2015)