Speckle Park Cook Book Glossary

British

Cottage Pie

Complexity
involved
Serves
6
Prep
30 min
Cook
1 hr 15 min
Technique
Bake
Cut
Ground beef
Printable copy
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Ingredients

Filling

  • 700 g (1½ lb) ground beef
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, diced small
  • 1 celery stalk, diced small
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 400 ml (1⅔ cups) beef stock
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 100 g (¾ cup) frozen peas
  • Salt and pepper

Mash

  • 1 kg (2¼ lb) floury potatoes, peeled and chunked
  • 60 g (4 tbsp) butter
  • 100 ml (⅓ cup) warm milk
  • 50 g (½ cup) grated cheddar

Steps

  1. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 18 minutes until a knife slides in with no resistance. Drain and let steam dry for 2 minutes.
  2. Mash with the butter and milk until smooth, and season well. Stir in half the cheddar.
  3. Meanwhile, brown the beef in the oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, breaking it up, until deeply coloured and no pink remains; ground beef is safe at 71°C (160°F). Spoon off excess fat.
  4. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook for 6 minutes over medium heat until softened. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute.
  5. Sprinkle over the flour and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the stock and Worcestershire, add the thyme and bay, and simmer gently for 20 minutes until thick and saucy. Stir in the peas, remove the herbs, and season.
  6. Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Spoon the filling into a 2 litre (2 qt) baking dish and let it cool for 5 minutes.
  7. Spread the mash on top, rough it up with a fork so it catches and crisps, and scatter on the rest of the cheese.
  8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is golden and the edges bubble.

Notes

  • Make ahead: assemble up to 1 day ahead; bake from cold for 40 minutes.
  • Shepherd's pie: swap the beef for ground lamb to make the other classic.
  • Serving: rest for 10 minutes so the filling holds when scooped.
  • Freezer: freeze the baked or unbaked pie in portions for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and bake until steaming hot, 74°C (165°F).
  • Pair with: steamed green beans or buttered cabbage.
  • Twist: for a non-traditional topping, swap half the potatoes for sweet potato.