How To Cook Jeff's Traditional Cottage Pie

  • Prep time
  • Cook time
  • Difficulty easy
  • Serves 4
cottage pie

Ingredients

  • 500g grass-fed beef mince
  • beef dripping or oil
  • 3 sprigs thyme leaves
  • 1 x onion finely diced
  • 2 x sticks of celery finely diced
  • 2 x carrots peeled & finely diced
  • 400ml beef or chicken stock
  • 1 tspp. tomato puree
  • few drops of Hendersons relish to taste
  • 1 tsp. corn flour mixed with a little cold water
  • sea salt
  • cracked black pepper
  • ingredients for the potato mash topping
  • 900g old crop potatoes (Maris piper, Desiree or King Edward)
  • 75g unsalted butter
  • splash of hot milk
  • sea salt
  • ground wite pepper
  • 50g mature cheddar cheese
  • 25g fine breadcrumbs

Heat a heavy-based saucepan with the dripping or oil.

Add the mince & cook over high heat until nicely browned.

Add the thyme & diced vegetables & carry on cooking for a further 5 minutes.

Add the tomato puree & relish then the stock & simmer for 45 minutes.

Thicken with a little corn flour & season to taste.

Place the mince into an ovenproof pie dish & leave to one side to cool.

Note: this can be done in advance ready to top & bake when your guests arrive.

method for the mashed potato:

Make the mashed potato by boiling the potatoes in lightly salted water for 20 minutes or until tender then drain & mash until smooth then add the butter & a splash of milk.

Carefully spread or pipe the mashed potato over the mince to fully cover.

Scatter the breadcrumbs over the potato topping then grate a generous layer of cheese on top.

Bake in a preheated oven 200°C/180°C fan /gas 6 for 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown & the mince piping hot.

to serve:

Serve with garden peas & f&co brown sauce.

traditional cottage pie

cottage pie ingredients