Cottage Pie

Cottage Pie.

Serves 3-4

1 tbsp beef fat or oil

750g ground/minced beef at least 12% fat

2 onions

2 carrots

2 celery sticks

1 leek (white part only)

3 garlic cloves

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves

1 tbsp fresh rosemary

400ml red wine

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp English mustard

700ml good quality beef stock

1 sprig of rosemary

800g Maris piper potatoes

100g cold butter

100ml warm milk

1 egg yolk

Butter and cheddar cheese for the top

Salt throughout for seasoning

1. Brown the beef in beef fat and set to one side get a good caramelisation on the outside

2. Diced the veg and use the same pan to fry in beef fat when softened add the thyme, rosemary, garlic and tomato paste season with salt.

3. Add the beef back in then add the wine, Worcestershire sauce and mustard reduce by half then add the stock. simmer this for 1 hour or until it’s reduced sufficiently (If your stock doesn’t thicken naturally you can use a little cornstarch mixed with water)

4. Bake the potatoes for 60 mins at 180c pass through a drum sieve or just mash the flesh while it’s still hot

5. Beat through cold butter then add the milk, add an egg yolk, season to taste

6. Add the meat mixture to an oven proof dish top with the mash, more butter and cheddar cheese

7. Bake at 180c for 40-45 mins

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