Comforting English Cottage Pie

Rich beef, thick gravy, creamy mash... a true comfort meal.

By. Liliana Kotval

One of my favorite meals: cottage pie. Not to be confused with shepherd's pie, which is made with lamb mince, not beef. This is a classic English dish and is also commonly served in the region of New England in the U.S. It is called "New" England for a reason.

This recipe was inspired by Gordon Ramsay's cottage pie recipe. He has always been one of my favorite chefs to watch-- either to see his adventures with Gino and Fred where they got stoned in San Francisco, or when he almost got attacked by a hippo while cooking for a South African chief, or his creative slurs directed at incompetent cooks. He is not only hilarious, but he has some of the best cooking techniques in the world. My dad was one of the best chefs I ever knew, and he also loved watching Ramsay.

Keep reading to learn how to make this gorgeous dish...

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs (900 grams) minced beef

• 1 large yellow onion

• 2 carrots

• 2 stalks of celery

• 4 cloves of garlic

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

• 1/2 red wine

• 2 cups beef stock (water and 1 beef bullion cube)

• 1 tbsp fresh or dried rosemary

• 1 cup frozen peas

• 3 lbs yellow potatoes

• a splash of milk and a few slabs of butter for the mash

Procedure:

1. Prepare the meat filling by first heating olive oil in a pan and adding the minced beef until browned. Avoid overcooking, as it will cook some more in the oven after. Make sure to break it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks to keep it in small pieces.

2. Add the washed and chopped potatoes to a pot and boil until soft. For extra smooth mash, peel the potatoes before.

3. As the meat browns, dice the onion, carrots, and celery and mince the garlic. Add them all into the browned mince and cook for 5-7 minutes until softened.

4. Stir in the tomato paste and sprinkle in the flour to thicken. Add in the rosemary.

5. Deglaze the pan by adding in the red wine. The pan should be hot to cook the alcohol off and release the flavors stuck on the bottom of the pan. Make sure to stir well to release all these flavors. You will know the alcohol is cooked off once you take a whiff of it. Add in the beef stock and cook until thickened.

6. Take off the heat once the gravy has thickened. Set aside.

7. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).

8. When the potatoes are done and soft, drain them and add them back to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and add in a few splashes of milk and slabs of butter. Blend with an immersion blender until silky smooth. If too thick, add more milk.

9. Stir in frozen peas to the meat mix. In a large baking pan, put in the meat mix. Layer the mash on top. Another option: use smaller baking tins, like I did. In this case, keep an eye on them, as they need a bit less time to bake.

10. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the mash is crispy. Can broil for a few minutes at the end for an extra crisp. Let stand before serving as it gets hot!

Enjoy!