British Classic Cottage Pie - Lazy Weekender

You can't go wrong with a good cottage pie, and with the recipe in this video that's exactly what you have. Make yourself a fantastic, no-fuss British classic in no time!

Full recipe:

For the mashed potato topping:
Peel four good-sized floury potatoes and chop into roughly 2.5cm/1" chunks
Rinse well, then place over high heat in cold salted water
Cook for about 25 minutes, until tender but still with a little resistance
Drain and steam for five minutes
Add 1-2tsp Horseradish Sauce
Add 30-50g butter
Grate in 120g mature cheddar, or cheese of your choice
Mash roughly to your desired consistency - I like it slightly rustic for this recipe!
Season to taste with salt and pepper

For the filling:

Peel and chop 1 brown onion, fairly finely
Peel and roughly chop five medium-sized carrots
Fry 500g / 1.1lb 5% beef mince in a little oil over high heat
Season well with salt
When browned, squeeze in 40g good quality tomato puree, cook for 1-2 mins then mix into the beef
Add several good glugs Worcestershire Sauce
Add several good glugs Hendersons Relish (links below if you can't find it)
Mix well and continue to brown for 1-2 minutes, until well browned
Remove to a plate to rest

Add a little more oil, and fry carrots over high heat to colour, about four or five minutes
Lower heat to medium-low and add onion
Add a good pinch of salt
Stir in butter to melt, and allow to cook until translucent and softened, about five minutes
Add beef back to the pan
Add a pinch of smoked paprika and mix well
Stir in 1/2tbsp / 7g plain (all-purpose) flour, cook for 1-2mins
Stir in 320ml good quality beef stock
Reduce, uncovered, until reduced by roughly half - about 5 mins, stirring occasionally
(Optional) Stir in a good squeeze of HP sauce (about a tablespoon)
Cover, and continue to simmer for another ten minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking
Check carrots for doneness - they should be almost, but not quite, the level of bite you want in the finished dish - recover and simmer for another few minutes if they're not
Once done, stir in 150-200g frozen petit pots, then turn off the heat, cover with a lid and allow to cool for a few minutes

To assemble:

Place the filling into a medium-sized oven-safe dish and spread evenly
Top with the potato, a little at a time, ensuring even coverage
Grate over 80g mature cheddar (or cheese of your choice)
Add a small sprinkle of salt to aid browning
Cook, uncovered, in a 200°C / 400°F convection oven for 25 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling
Allow to stand for five minutes before serving

Serve with a little steamed tenderstem broccoli, if liked.

Links mentioned in the video:

Hendersons Relish (UK): https://amzn.to/3IcrApY

Hendersons Relish (US): https://amzn.to/40V62FY (sorry, I couldn't find a smaller pack size)

HP Sauce (US): https://amzn.to/3JVwTLO

(Please note: I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases made via the above links).

#cooking #recipe #british #britishfood #tutorial #beef #traditional