Our Nutrition Editor Local Mum Angelika Cutuk-Short shares her healthy recipe for Cottage Pie
This is a great-value family-favourite, especially for the kids! It freezes beautifully and is also lovely to share with neighbours and those who might need it right now. Any favourite veg or salad goes with it perfectly.
Serve 8 - 600 calories per serving, Preparation and cooking time. 1 hr, 30 Mins
Ingredients
☞ 3 tbsp olive oil
☞ 1kg (2 lb) beef mince
☞ 2 onions, finely chopped
☞ 3 carrots, chopped
☞ 3 celery sticks, chopped ( I couldn’t find any in the shop)
☞ 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
☞ 1 tbsp tomato purée
☞ 1 tbsp HP sauce
☞ large glass red wine (optional)
☞ 500 ml beef stock
☞ 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
☞ few thyme sprigs
☞ 2 bay leaves
For the mash
☞ 1.8kg potatoes, chopped
☞ 225ml milk
☞ 25g butter
☞ 200g strong cheddar, grated
☞ freshly grated nutmeg
Method
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan and fry 1¼ kg beef mince until browned; you may need to do this in batches. Set aside as it browns.
- Put the other two tbsp of olive oil into the pan, add two finely chopped onions, three chopped carrots and three chopped celery sticks and cook on a gentle heat until soft, for about 3-4 mins.
- Add 2 finely chopped garlic cloves and one tbsp tomato purée; increase the heat and cook for a few minutes, then return the beef to the pan.
- Pour over a large glass of red wine, if using, and boil to reduce it slightly before adding the 500ml beef stock, four tbsp Worcestershire sauce, a few thyme sprigs and two bay leaves.
- Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered for about 30 mins.
- Meanwhile, make the mash. In a large saucepan, cover the 1.8kg potatoes which you've peeled and chopped, in salted cold water, bring to the boil and simmer until tender. You can do this step in advance or a bit earlier in the process to make sure potatoes are done.
- Drain well, then allow to steam-dry for a few moments. Mash well with the 225ml milk, 25g butter, and three-quarters of the 200g strong cheddar cheese, then season with freshly grated nutmeg and season with salt and pepper
- Spoon the meat into a big ovenproof dish, or two small ones. Pipe or spoon on the mash to cover. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese.
- If eating straight away, heat oven to 200C fan/gas 7 and cook for 10-15 mins, or until the topping is golden.
- Serve it with the green peas or any other veg that you have (fresh or frozen).
NB: If you want to use a slow cooker, brown your mince in batches then tip into your slow cooker and stir in the vegetables, flour, purée, wine, stock, Worcestershire sauce and herbs with some seasoning. Cover and cook on a high heat for 4-5 hours. Make the mash following the previous steps, and then oven cook in the same way to finish.
Enjoy x