Entree: United Kingdom – England - Midlands – Cottage Pie (Oven-baked minced beef and vegetable filling topped with creamy mashed potatoes)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 20 min

Cook 45 min

Additional 5 min

Total 1 hr 5 min

Ingredients

- 1 lb (454 g) ground beef
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil or dripping
- 1 large onion, approx. 8 oz (225 g), finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots, approx. 8 oz (225 g), peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, approx. 4 oz (115 g), diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cup (360 ml) beef stock
- 1 cup (150 g) frozen peas
- 1 tsp (5 g) dried thyme or 1 tbsp (3 g) fresh
- 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 2 lb (900 g) potatoes, peeled and chopped for mashing
- 4 tbsp (60 g) unsalted butter, divided
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) milk, warmed (adjust for desired mash consistency)
- 1/2 cup (50 g) grated cheddar cheese (optional, for topping)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Put the chopped potatoes in a pot of cold salted water, bring to a boil, and simmer until tender, about 15–20 minutes.
2. While potatoes cook, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and brown, breaking up with a spoon, until no pink remains. Drain excess fat if necessary.
3. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the beef and sauté until softened, about 6–8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
4. Mix in the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce, then sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir for 1 minute to cook the flour. Gradually pour in the beef stock, stirring, and bring to a simmer. Add thyme, salt, and pepper. Simmer gently until the sauce thickens, about 8–10 minutes. Stir in the frozen peas and remove from heat.
5. Drain the potatoes, mash with 2 tbsp (30 g) butter and warmed milk until smooth and seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Spoon the meat filling into a 9x9-inch (or similar) ovenproof dish and spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the top. Dot remaining 2 tbsp (30 g) butter over the mash and, if using, sprinkle grated cheddar on top.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, or until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling at the edges. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.