Cottage Pie
A classic British dish that is hearty and filling on a cold winter's night.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 pound of ground beef
1 pound of potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
1 packet of frozen mixed vegetables
1 tin (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes w/juice
3 or 4 fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, medium diced
1tablespoon Bisto gravy granules (U.S. 1 beef stock cube, crumbled)
4 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
In a pot of cold salted water place your potato quarters and bring to a boil. Turn your heat down and let simmer until cooked through and tender. Drain, add a small amount of milk and butter (not too much as the mash needs to be semi firm) then mash with a fork or potato masher. Set aside.
In a skillet/frying pan add your ground beef.
Next add the medium diced onions to the ground beef.
Season the meat so add your salt and pepper to taste. Turn on your heat to medium low and cook the ground beef in it's own fat until browned. Drain the fat off if you want when its cooked through. Next preheat your oven to 400F (U.K. gas marked 6, 200C).
In a baking dish add your cooked ground beef, tin tomatoes, frozen mixed vegetables and sliced mushrooms.
Sprinkle the Bisto gravy granules or beef stock cube over the meat and veggies, then add the Worcestershire sauce, dried parsley and thyme, crushing the thyme between your fingers to release it's aroma. Mix well
Place your mashed potatoes on top of the meat and veggies and with a fork evenly distribute the mash.
Now we want to have those classic cottage pie lines so with your the tines of your fork go around the edges of your baking dish pushing the mash firmly down to make sure no liquid escapes while cooking and spoil the look. Again, with your fork tines, run your fork left to right and up and down your baking dish to achieve your lines.
Dab a few pats of butter on top of the mash to give it that lovely golden color when it comes out the oven.
Place your cottage pie in the pre-heated oven and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove and serve immediately. Enjoy!
