Cottage Pie
Some of the measurements are funny because it's a recipe from BBC Food by the Hairy Bikers. No idea what the show is about but they know their cottage pie.
I first made this pie with leftover mashed potatoes so it wasn't too difficult to get it put together. It certainly isn't a weeknight dish but it's well worth the effort for a Sunday dinner.
1 tbs oil
1 large onion, peeled, chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped
1 lbs lean ground beef
5 oz red wine
2 tbs flour
17.5 oz beef stock
10.5 oz cold water
2 tbs tomato paste
1/2 tsp mixed dried herbs (oregano, parsley, basil or whatever you'd like)
1 dried bay leaf
splash Worcestershire sauce
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1lb 12oz floury potatoes, such as King Edward or Maris Piper, peeled and cut into even-sized pieces
1.5 oz butter, cubed
3 tbs milk
4 oz grated sharp cheddar or cream cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a large deep lidded pan over a medium heat and gently fry the onion, celery and carrots for 7-8 minutes, or until the onions are softened and lightly colored.
Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
Add the ground beef to the pan and cook with the vegetables for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the meat is browned all over.
Pour the wine into the pan, bring the mixture to the boil and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated, then sprinkle over the flour and stir well for a few minutes to prevent any lumps from forming.
Gradually add the beef stock to the pan, then add the cold water, tomato paste and dried herbs.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then cover with the lid and cook over a low heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mince is tender and the sauce has thickened.
Season with a splash of Worcestershire sauce and salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Remove from the heat, spoon into a large ovenproof dish and set aside.
Half-fill a large pan with cold water.
Add the potatoes and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are very soft.
Drain the potatoes, then return to the pan set over a medium heat.
Cook for a few seconds to drive off any excess moisture, then remove the potatoes from the heat.
Add the butter, milk and cheese and mash until smooth and creamy.
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Spoon the mash over the meat mixture in the ovenproof dish, working towards the middle from the outside.
Place the dish on a baking tray and bake at 400 degrees in the center of the oven for around 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden-brown and the filling is bubbling up around the edges.
Serve with freshly cooked green beans.
I first made this pie with leftover mashed potatoes so it wasn't too difficult to get it put together. It certainly isn't a weeknight dish but it's well worth the effort for a Sunday dinner.
1 tbs oil
1 large onion, peeled, chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled, finely chopped
1 lbs lean ground beef
5 oz red wine
2 tbs flour
17.5 oz beef stock
10.5 oz cold water
2 tbs tomato paste
1/2 tsp mixed dried herbs (oregano, parsley, basil or whatever you'd like)
1 dried bay leaf
splash Worcestershire sauce
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1lb 12oz floury potatoes, such as King Edward or Maris Piper, peeled and cut into even-sized pieces
1.5 oz butter, cubed
3 tbs milk
4 oz grated sharp cheddar or cream cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a large deep lidded pan over a medium heat and gently fry the onion, celery and carrots for 7-8 minutes, or until the onions are softened and lightly colored.
Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
Add the ground beef to the pan and cook with the vegetables for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the meat is browned all over.
Pour the wine into the pan, bring the mixture to the boil and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated, then sprinkle over the flour and stir well for a few minutes to prevent any lumps from forming.
Gradually add the beef stock to the pan, then add the cold water, tomato paste and dried herbs.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then cover with the lid and cook over a low heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mince is tender and the sauce has thickened.
Season with a splash of Worcestershire sauce and salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Remove from the heat, spoon into a large ovenproof dish and set aside.
Half-fill a large pan with cold water.
Add the potatoes and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are very soft.
Drain the potatoes, then return to the pan set over a medium heat.
Cook for a few seconds to drive off any excess moisture, then remove the potatoes from the heat.
Add the butter, milk and cheese and mash until smooth and creamy.
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Spoon the mash over the meat mixture in the ovenproof dish, working towards the middle from the outside.
Place the dish on a baking tray and bake at 400 degrees in the center of the oven for around 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden-brown and the filling is bubbling up around the edges.
Serve with freshly cooked green beans.
This looks very much like the Shepherd's Pie that we made on several ski trips. Yummmm!
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