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cottage pie

Savory Cottage Pie

Yummy Savory Cottage Pie, made with ground beef, veggies, and a savory sauce all smothered in a creamy potato topping, is a wholesome meal.
Course Main Course
Keyword cottage pie, savory pie, shepherd's pie
Servings 8
My Island Bistro Kitchen Barbara99

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb extra-lean ground beef
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • ½ cup diced carrots
  • 2 tbsp diced parsnip
  • ½ cup chopped celery
  • ¼ cup chopped green pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2-3 oz button mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 2½ tbsp tomato paste
  • ½ cup tomato sauce
  • 1 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 cup canned diced tomatoes, with juice
  • ½ cup tomato soup
  • ¼ cup red wine
  • ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 2 tsp molasses
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Pinch coriander
  • Pinch ginger
  • Pinch cinnamon
  • ½ cup frozen peas
  • ½ cup frozen corn

Potato Topping:

  • 2 lbs potatoes
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 egg yolk
  • Sea salt
  • Ground pepper
  • 3 tbsp soft butter
  • Pinch nutmeg
  • ¼ cup grated cheese of choice (e.g., Parmigiano Reggiano or cheddar)
  • Paprika

Instructions

  1. Assemble and measure out ingredients.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in large frypan. Brown meat over medium-low heat. Drain off any excess fat. Set aside.
  3. In large saucepan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Sauté onion, carrot, parsnip, celery, green pepper, and garlic for 3-4 minutes over medium-low heat. Add mushrooms. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
  4. Sprinkle flour over the mixture and stir in tomato paste, tomato sauce, and ketchup. Cook 1-2 minutes.
  5. Add canned tomatoes, tomato soup, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, beef broth, salt, pepper, molasses, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to medium-low.
  6. Add cooked ground beef and spices. Cook 3-4 minutes until mixture is heated.
  7. Add frozen corn and peas and cook 2-3 minutes longer. Remove from heat.

Potato Topping

  1. Cook potatoes. Drain and mash. Transfer mashed potatoes to bowl of stand mixer and whip for just a few seconds on medium-high speed with milk, egg yolk, salt, pepper, butter, nutmeg, and grated cheese. Whip only until ingredients are incorporated and smooth. Do not overwhip as potatoes will become gummy.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F.

To assemble:

  1. Grease large casserole dish or individual ramekins (recommended) with shortening or butter or spray with cooking oil.
  2. Remove and discard bayleaf from meat mixture and spoon mixture into prepared dishes, filling each a scant ¾ full. Top with spoonfuls of whipped potatoes to the top of the casserole or ramekins. With knife, gently spread potatoes so meat mixture is entirely covered. Using tines of a fork, create a decorative pattern on the potato topping, if desired. Sprinkle with paprika.
  3. Bake, uncovered, 30-40 minutes, until topping starts to brown. Remove from oven and let stand 8-10 minutes. Serve with steamed green beans, asparagus, or a green salad.

Recipe Notes

Yield: 8-9 servings