Lamb Lentil Cottage Pie Food

CLASSIC COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook lamb, carrots and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain. Stir in flour, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper until blended. Gradually add broth and wine; stir in tomato paste and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10-15 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in peas., Meanwhile, place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook 10-15 minutes or until tender., Preheat oven to 400°. Transfer meat mixture into a greased 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. Drain potatoes; mash with milk and butter. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese, salt and pepper. Spread over meat mixture; sprinkle with remaining cheese., Place pie plate on a foil-lined baking sheet (plate will be full). Bake 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

LAMB & LENTIL COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius.
• Lightly grease a 2-litre ovenproof dish.
• Heat oil in a large saucepan.
• Saute mushrooms, onion, carrot, zucchini & garlic for 3-4 minutes until onion is tender. Transfer to a bowl.
• Brown mince well in same pan for 4-5 minutes.
• Stir in tomatoes, lentils, stock and all the herbs and spices. Cook covered for 10 minutes.
• Return vegetable mixture to pan. Simmer, uncovered for 5 minutes until sauce thickens.
• Transfer mixture into prepared dish.
• Mash the potatoes with the milk, cheese, butter and egg yolk until smooth. Season to taste.
• Spoon the mashed potato evenly over lamb mixture.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until potato top is golden.

LEEK AND MUSHROOM COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to color, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add leeks, a little more salt and stir to combine. Cook mixture for about 5 minutes more, until leeks have lost their crunch, but are still green. Turn off heat.
• Cook the mushrooms separately (work in batches if necessary): Put olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is wavy, add both kinds of mushrooms and sauté 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat and stir in thyme, garlic and parsley, and toss to coat.
• Add mushrooms to onion-leek mixture, and turn heat to medium-high. Add miso and milk, and bring to a simmer. Stir cornstarch and water, add to mixture and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring, until sauce thickens. Transfer mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, and leave at room temperature.
• Meanwhile, boil potatoes in salted water until very soft, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and mash with 4 tablespoons butter, then stir in cream and beat until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spread mashed potatoes evenly over surface of vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bake for 45 minutes, until bubbling and nicely browned.

BEEF & LENTIL COTTAGE PIE WITH CAULIFLOWER & POTATO TOPPING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 4. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the minced beef. Cook for 5 mins until browned all over, then add the carrot and cook for 2 mins more.
• Stir in the tomato purée and add seasoning. Cook for a few mins, then add the lentils and stock. Simmer for 20 mins, then stir in the peas.
• Meanwhile, bring a pan of water to the boil and add the potatoes. Simmer for 15 mins, then add the cauliflower and simmer for a further 10 mins until the veg is tender.
• Drain, then return the veg to the pan for a few mins to dry out. add the milk, butter and seasoning, and mash together. Finally, add the cheese, reserving a handful, and mix well. Cover and put aside 500g of the mash mix for the sausage recipe tomorrow (see 'goes well with', right).
• Spoon the mince into a large roasting dish, about 30 x 20cm, and spoon the mash over the top. Sprinkle with cheese and bake until golden, about 30 mins.

LENTIL COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to hot.
• Boil, steam or microwave potato until tender; drain. Mash in large bowl with half of the butter.
• Melt remaining butter in medium-deep frying pan; cook onion and garlic, stirring, until onion softens. Add undrained tomatoes, stock, the water, paste, wine, lentils and carrot; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes; stirring occasionally.
• Add peas and parsley; cook, uncovered, 5 minutes. Spoon lentil mixture into shallow 1 litre ovenproof dish.
• Spread potato mash on top. Bake, uncovered, in hot oven 20 minutes. Stand pie 10 minutes before serving.

MINTY LAMB PIE

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add mint. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture can be formed into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to fit a 9-in. pie plate. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes; set aside. , In a large skillet, brown lamb in shortening; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add 1 cup of water and mushrooms; cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes or until meat is tender. , Meanwhile, place peas, carrots and onions in a large saucepan; cover with water. Cover and cook until tender; drain. Spoon into the crust. Using a slotted spoon, remove lamb and mushrooms from skillet and place over vegetable. Combine flour and remaining water until smooth; stir into pan drippings. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Pour over lamb mixture. Serve with a spoon.

NEXT LEVEL COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Crumble in the mince and stir to coat the meat in the hot oil. Cook the mince for 15 mins until you are left with browned, toasted mince and the fat from the meat. Stir the vegetables in with the mince and cook for 10 mins until they start to turn brown. Sprinkle over the flour and cook for a further 2 mins. Stir in the herbs, ketchup and tomato purée, and splash in the Worcestershire sauce. Pour in the ale, bubble for a minute, then gradually stir in the stock. Leave everything to simmer gently for 1 hr until you have a tender mince in a rich gravy.
• Use a slotted spoon to lift the mince and vegetables into a large baking dish, leaving the residual gravy in the pan. Drain the gravy through a sieve into another saucepan, then tip what remains in the sieve back into the baking dish. Leave the mince to cool, then put in the fridge (or, better still, the freezer if you have room) for at least 1 hr until the fat from the mince solidifies. This part can be made up to two days ahead.
• While the meat sauce is cooling, make the cheesy potato topping. Tip the potatoes, whole and in their skins, into a large pan of salted water. Bring the pan to the boil and simmer for 15 mins until the potatoes are cooked all the way through. Drain off the water and leave until the potatoes are just cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, boil the milk, butter and mustard powder together in a large saucepan. Peel the cooked potatoes by rubbing their skins off with a tea towel. Mash or pass the potatoes through a ricer into the hot milk and butter, stir through the cheese and season with salt and pepper.
• When the meat sauce has set, top with the mash. Start from the outside and use a spatula to scrape the mash against the side of the dish, then spread it over the middle of the dish. Using a fork, make lines across the topping. Can be frozen for up to 6 months.
• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Put the pie on a large baking tray to catch any drips and bake for 30-35 mins until golden. Leave it to rest for at least 10 mins while you heat up the extra gravy. Serve the pie at the table with green vegetables and the jug of extra gravy for pouring over.