First things first, lets get one thing clear - Cottage Pie is made with Minced Beef (or ground beef if you're American). It is not made with Minced Lamb.
There is no such thing as Cottage Pie made with Lamb Mince. What you're thinking of is Shepherds Pie (the clues in the name).
If you put cheese in/on the mash it is also not a Cottage Pie - that's a Cumberland Pie!
Portions: 4
Ingredients
- 500g Minced BEEF
- 2 Onions
- 4 Carrots
- Frozen Peas
- Mashed Potatoes
- Oil (either vegetable oil or olive oil)
- 300ml of Beef Stock
- Gravy Browning
- Winiary Przyprawa
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Frying Pan
- Oven Dish(es)
Instructions
- Chop up the Onions and the Carrot
- Fry the Onion and Carrot in a little oil until the carrot has started to soften
- Remove the Carrots and Onion mixture from the frying pan and set to one side
- Put a little oil in the pan and brown the Minced Beef
- When the mince has browned pour in the Beef Stock
- At this point you would traditionally add some Worcestershire Sauce, instead I've added a dash of Gravy Browning and a generous splash of Winiary Przyprawa sauce (yes, I know, with all these changes I guess it's not technically a Shepherds Pie any more)!!
- Give it a good stir and simmer for 20 minutes
- If you haven't already made some mashed potatoes, now's the time to do so whilst the minced beef mixture is simmering...
- Add the frozen peas to the minced beef (yes, again, I know, traditionally you don't add peas to a Cottage Pie (they do go in Shepherds Pie though) but I had a handful left in the freezer that needed eating up)
- Stir and simmer for a few more minutes
- Pour the minced beef mixture in to 1 or more oven dishes
- Cover in the mashed potatoes
- IMPORTANT: rough up the mashed potato by using a fork, this will make the top nice and crispy!
- Put in the over at 180° for approximately 15 minutes until the top is brown and crispy
Serving Suggestion(s)
Serve with vegetables of your liking (runner beans and/or asparagus go very well with Cottage Pie).
