Classic Cottage Pie

The weather in Sydney is getting colder as we head toward winter and Cottage Pie is a great warming dish of beef cooked with carrot, celery, onion and garlic in a thick tasty gravy and baked with a layer of mashed potato. It is hearty and satisfying comfort food.

Classic Cottage Pie

Ingredients:

500 g lean beef mince
1 large stick of celery, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 Tblsp olive oil
1 small knob of butter
2 1/4 cups vegetable stock
2 heaped Tblsp of tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
Worcestershire sauce
2 large cloves of garlic, whole with skins on
2 bay leaves
small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
1 large sprig of rosemary
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 heaped Tblsp of plain flour

Potato Topping:

3 large desiree potatoes, peeled and cut into thick slices
60g butter
100ml milk

Method:

Preheat Oven to 160ºC F
Heat olive oil and the knob of butter in a large saucepan over a low heat
When the butter foams add the onion and cook covered for 6-8 minutes till well caramelised
Add the celery, and carrot to the onion and cook covered for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute
Stir in wine and bring to the boil, lower the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes with the lid off until the wine has evaporated
Increase the heat to high and add the minced beef, and chopped parsley, stirring through well and cook, stirring well till the meat is browned.
Place the flour into a small pan and whisk a little of the stock till dissolved. Bring to the boil and cook for a minute
Add the flour mix to the rest of the stock, then add the rosemary and garlic cloves with their skins on and stir through
Add two or three good dashes of Worcestershire sauce, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and bring to the boil
Place the meat and vegetables mixture into a casserole dish that has a lid or a baking dish
Pour over the stock making sure the meat is well covered.
Add in the bay leaves
Cover with the lid or tightly with foil if using a baking dish and bake for 30 minutes
Then stir the meat through and bake uncovered for a further 20 minutes or until the liquid has thickened
10 minutes before the meat is finished cooking stir in the peas
Then set about making the mashed potato topping by putting the potato slices into a saucepan and covering with cold salted water, bring to the boil
When the water boils, lower the heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender
Drain and mash the potatoes and set them aside covered to steam a while
When the meat has cooked and is thick and reduced, spoon it to a serving casserole dish and smooth down the mixture
Stir the butter and milk through the mashed potato, seasoning it well with salt
Then spread the mashed potato over the surface of the cottage pie covering the outer areas well to seal in the liquid
Use a fork to make ridges over the top of the pie and dot with butter
Brown under the grill
Remove from the oven and rest the Cottage Pie for 5 minutes
Serve while hot with a salad and some crusty bread. I have made a salad of green and red cabbage finely sliced with fine slices of radish through it. I have used an Extra Virgin Olive oil and white wine vinegar dressing, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper