Mums Cottage Pie

Mums Cottage Pie is a dish using the leftover beef form the Sunday roast. The aroma, flavour and warmth of this dish always made it a success. The simplicity of a beef and vegetable filling and a cheesy mashed potato topping makes this so easy to cook. I prefer this with baked beans and HP Sauce for a easy warming dinner after a long day. I pop it in the oven and go have a shower and its ready. Alternatively, serve as a main dish with steamed broccoli, honey carrots and green beans for a more

I now make Mums Cottage Pie in bulk and in advance for us and my children to freeze until needed. Just cook everything as usual but allow to cool. When needed remove from the freezer and pop in the fridge the night before and then 180C/325F/Gas Mark 3 for about 45 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and the dish is piping hot.

Mums Cottage Pie

This is a tasty British dish that has to be one of the best for those cold days. Make them in advance so their ready for you.

4.54 from 154 votes

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Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: British

Keyword: Beef, Cheddar, Cheese, Cottage Pie, Dairy, Herbs, Mashed Potato, Pies/Tarts, Vegetables

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 Portions

Calories: 497kcal

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Ingredients

 

MetricImperial

Filling Ingredients

• 1.5 kg beef mince
• 2 large onions peel/finely chop
• 3 large carrots peel/chop
• 2 sticks celery chop
• 3 cloves garlic peel/finely chop
• 850 ml beef stock
• 125 ml red wine
• 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp tomato puree paste
• 3 tbsp plain flour all purpose
• 2 leaves bay
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste

Mashed Potato Ingredients

• 1.75 kg potatoes
• 25 g unsalted butter
• 225 ml milk
• 200 g cheddar grated
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Place a large frying pan over a medium high heat and add 1/3 of the olive oil. When hot, add the beef mince and cook until browned all over, making sure you break up any lumps. It is often to brown the mince in batches. When browned, transfer to a large dish for now.
  1.5 kg beef, 3 tbsp olive oil
• Reduce the heat to a medium and add the remaining olive oil to the same pan and add the carrots, onions and celery. Gently cook for about 20 minutes or until they have softened.
  2 large onions, 3 large carrots, 2 sticks celery, 3 tbsp olive oil
• Add the garlic, flour and tomato puree to the vegetables and stir well to combine.
  3 cloves garlic, 3 tbsp plain flour, 1 tbsp tomato puree
• Add the beef mince back to the pan along with the glass of wine. Cook for 3 minutes until the wine has reduced in volume before adding the beef stock, Worcestershire Sauce, bay and thyme.
  850 ml beef stock, 125 ml red wine, 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 leaves bay, 2 sprigs thyme
• Stir everything together really well and taste. Season with salt and pepper.
• Adjust the heat until the contents start to simmer and leave for 30 minutes stirring occasionally. If there is a lot of liquid left in the pan then turn the heat up a little. Otherwise leave the mince for another 10 minutes or so until the gravy is lovely and thick.
• Tase and season with salt and pepper accordingly. Remove the thyme and bay leaves, they’ve done their bit.
  salt, ground black pepper
• Peel the potatoes and cut into chunks. Add the potatoes to a large pan and cover with cold water. Add a good pinch of salt and turn up the heat until the water boils. Once boiling reduce the heat until it simmers and cook until the potatoes can be pierced with a knife both in and out easily.
  1.75 kg potatoes
• Drain using a colander and then put the colander on top of the pan to steam for 5 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 220C/425 F/Gas Mark 7.
• Return to the pan and add the butter, milk and about 80% of the grated cheese and finally season with salt and ground black pepper. Mash everything together until you have a lovely creamy mash.
  25 g unsalted butter, 225 ml milk, 200 g cheddar, salt, ground black pepper
• Transfer the beef mixture into a large oven proof dish and spoon over the mashed potato. You can use the back of a spoon to level and the prongs of a fork to make a pattern or just free hand it so it looks uneven.
• Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the mash.
  200 g cheddar
• Place the dish on a baking tray on place in the oven for 25 minutes or until the potato and cheese are a lovely golden brown.
• Remove and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 497kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 30344mg | Potassium: 1462mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 3308IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 263mg | Iron: 5mg