Beef Mince Cottage Pies Food

TRADITIONAL ENGLISH COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a pan on a medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, thyme and bay leaf and fry over a medium/low heat for 10 minutes, or until softened but not coloured.
• Add the beef mince and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until brown.
• Add the tomato purée, worcestershire sauce and Tabasco, then stir and cook for 2 minutes.
• Turn the heat up to high and add the red wine. Let it bubble away and reduce for 5 minutes then add the stock and reduce to a medium heat. Simmer for a further 20 minutes, stirring often.
• Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into halves and quarters so they're all a fairly even size. Cook in a pan of boiling, salted water for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain in a colander and leave to steam dry.
• Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.
• Taste the mince and season accordingly with salt and pepper. Transfer it to an ovenproof dish (approximately 20cm by 30cm).
• Mash the potatoes with the butter, milk and a pinch of salt and pepper then spread over the top of the mince.
• Finely grate over a little parmesan cheese then cook for 45 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.
• Serve with buttered peas or a simple side salad.

COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan and fry 1¼ kg beef mince until browned - you may need to do this in batches. Set aside as it browns.
• Put the other 2 tbsp olive oil into the pan, add 2 finely chopped onions, 3 chopped carrots and 3 chopped celery sticks and cook on a gentle heat until soft, about 20 mins.
• Add 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, 3 tbsp plain flour and 1 tbsp tomato purée, increase the heat and cook for a few mins, then return the beef to the pan.
• Pour over a large glass of red wine, if using, and boil to reduce it slightly before adding the 850ml beef stock, 4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, a few thyme sprigs and 2 bay leaves.
• Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 45 mins. By this time the gravy should be thick and coating the meat. Check after about 30 mins - if a lot of liquid remains, increase the heat slightly to reduce the gravy a little. Season well, then discard the bay leaves and thyme stalks.
• Meanwhile, make the mash. In a large saucepan, cover the 1.8kg potatoes which you've peeled and chopped, in salted cold water, bring to the boil and simmer until tender.
• Drain well, then allow to steam-dry for a few mins. Mash well with the 225ml milk, 25g butter, and three-quarters of the 200g strong cheddar cheese, then season with freshly grated nutmeg and some salt and pepper.
• Spoon the meat into 2 ovenproof dishes. Pipe or spoon on the mash to cover. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese.
• If eating straight away, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and cook for 25-30 mins, or until the topping is golden.
• If you want to use a slow cooker, brown your mince in batches then tip into your slow cooker and stir in the vegetables, flour, purée, wine, stock, Worcestershire sauce and herbs with some seasoning. Cover and cook on High for 4-5 hours. Make the mash following the previous steps, and then oven cook in the same way to finish.

BEEF MINCE COTTAGE PIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C fan bake.
• Peel and chop potatoes, add to a saucepan with water. Bring to the boil and reduce to medium heat to simmer for 15-20 mins until tender.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add onion and carrot, fry until softened.
• Add the mince, garlic and herbs then fry until lightly browned. Stir in the red wine, mustard, tomato sauce and stock. Simmer for 10 minutes.
• Mix the cornflour with 2 tablespoons of water to make a slurry then add to the mince. Add the peas and stir until it heats up and thickens. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Mash the potatoes with butter and milk and season to taste.
• Divide the mince into 6 individual pie dishes and top with mashed potato, smoothing with the back of a spoon. Top with grated cheese.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is lightly browned with crispy bits.

BEEF AND CAULI-MASH COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• preheat oven to 190c.
• fry mince in butter until brown. break it up. Use a cast iron pot you can bake if possible.
• remove meat from pan, add onions, broccoli and capsicum to same pan and fry until soft. add garlic and saute.
• Add rest of ingredients, return mince and mix well.
• Turn heat down to low and leave to simmer for 30mins. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
• WHile sauce is cooking, make cauli mash. Steam Cauli until soft, drain off any excess moisture.
• Blend or use stick blender to puree cauliflower. While blender is still running add in eggs and butter. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• To assemble, fill pie dish (or your cast iron pan) with mince an smooth out. Add cauli mix and smooth again. Cover with cheese if you desire.
• Grill for 15mins or until golden brown.