I have been making Cottage Pie since I was knee high to a grasshopper... and it will always be one of my comfort food favs.
Did you realise that the only difference between Cottage Pie and Shepherds Pie was the animal that the minced meat comes from ?
Shepherds Pie is made from minced lamb (yes the cute and fluffy little bouncy white critters) and Cottage Pie is minced beef (teenage moo cows).
Simple.
About a year ago I told a very good friend of mine in Alabama how I made Cottage/Shepherds Pie. He bought some chicken breast and used that instead ! I was horrified... But he maintains it was delicious and has christened the result 'Chicken Coup Pie'. Thank you Terry !
I really will have to try it sometime...
Bon appetit !
Sophii's
Cottage Pie & Shepherds Pie (how my Granny taught me to make it)
1 lb minced Beef (or Lamb) (or chicken if you dare, Alabama style)
2 Onions
2 Carrots
1 oz Butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Tomato Puree
2 tablespoons Tomato Ketchup
2 tablespoons Lea & Perrins Worcester Sauce
1 litre Chicken Stock
1 lb Potatoes
Dash of Milk
1 Egg
2 ozs Butter
Sea Salt
Freshly ground Black Pepper
1. Peel and chop the onions and carrots (smallish but not tiny).
2. Lightly fry the carrots and onions in the olive oil and the 1oz butter, just until they start to change colour.
3. Add the beef (lamb) to the partly cooked veg, and brown the meat on a higher heat setting.
4. When the meat is brown and looks cooked (no pink bits anywhere), add the stock to the pan, as well as the ketchup, the tomato puree, and the Worcestershire Sauce.
5. Cook for 20 minutes, letting the liquid reduce (so don't cover the pan).
6. Allow to cool and add salt and pepper to taste (I personally add none at all, as if you are using a commercial stock this already contains salt etc).
7. Peel the potatoes, then halve or quarter them maybe, and boil or steam them until cooked. Drain.
8. Mash the potatoes together with 2 ozs of butter, the dash of milk and the egg. Be very very careful not to put too much milk.
9. Put the minced meat mixture into the bottom of a good sized ovenproof high-sided dish (Pyrex is great). Place the mashed potato carefully across the top, as evenly as possible.
10. Make pretty marks in the top with a fork. Just cus !
11. Cook in a medium oven, 190C, 375F, or Gas Mark 5, until the top is a lovely golden brown colour.
If the top is dark brown (burning) its been in too long !
12. Let the pie sit for 10 or 15 minutes before you eat it.
Enjoy !
No comments:
Post a Comment