Traditional English Cottage Pie With Cheese and Leek Topping

French Tart's Note:

Cottage pie, like its opposite lamb number, Shepherd's pie, was the ingenious idea of housewives many years ago, in order to create another warm and comforting meal usually from the Sunday Lunch left-overs! Cooked beef or lamb were diced or shredded and sometimes the vegetables were added to the meat mixture - such as peas or carrots. This recipe uses raw minced beef, but you could use minced cooked beef if you wish, I have added it as an alternative. The leeks were always added to the mashed potato topping when I was growing up - it was another way of utilising the leftovers! A bit like a Bubble and Squeak topping. I am not a lover of peas being added in my Cottage Pie, so I have suggested them as an option - I always prefer carrots as the vegetable to be added. Try to use mature Farmhouse Cheddar cheese for the topping - a little goes a long way, as it is so strong in flavour. The cheese is very luxurious, but takes this simple and comforting pie to a higher taste level, in my humble opinion! Serve bubbling hot straight from the oven with steamed cabbage, carrots or any seasonal vegetables and a jug of gravy.

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

Cottage Pie Filling

• 600 g lean ground beef or 600 g cooked beef , shredded
• 2 onions , peeled and diced
• 1 large carrots, peeled and finely diced or 1 large cooked carrot , diced
• 1 ounce butter or 1 ounce dripping
• cooked peas (optional)
• 1 teaspoon dried herbs or 1 -2 tablespoon fresh mixed herbs , chopped
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 250 ml beef stock (OR 250 ml red wine mixed with 2 teaspoons sugar) (optional)
• salt
• pepper

Cottage Pie Topping

• 1 kg potato , peeled and cut into small even sized pieces
• 2 large leeks, cleaned and finely shredded or 2 large cooked leeks , sliced into rings
• 2 ounces butter
• 2 -4 tablespoons milk
• 4 ounces mature farmhouse cheddar cheese , grated
• salt
• pepper

Directions:

1. To make the pie filling:.
2. Fry the onions and carrots if using, in the butter or beef dripping until they are soft.
3. Add the minced/chopped beef and cook for about 10 to 20 minutes or until the onion and carrot have browned and the minced beef has taken on some colour and is firm. (It also depends if you are using cooked or raw minced beef.).
4. Season well with salt and pepper, then add the mixed herbs. Stir in the flour, and mix well.
5. Mix the tomato puree and Worcestershire sauce with the stock and add it to the meat mixture, bringing it all to simmering point. Simmer until the stock has reduced by aboout a third, add the peas if using and take off the heat. Set aside whilst you make the topping.
6. To make the topping:.
7. Boil the potatoes in slightly salted water then mash them well, adding half of the butter and all of the milk gradually. Season to taste.
8. If using fresh leeks, fry the leeks gently in the remaining butter, until soft and slightly coloured.
9. Stir the cooked leeks into the mashed potato mixture and give it all a good mix.
10. Assemble:.
11. Put the meat mixture into a large and deep well greased baking dish and spread the potato mixture on top; then sprinkle with the grated cheese. You can also use 4 - 6 smaller pie dishes if you wish.
12. Put into a pre-heated oven, 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6 for about 25 to 30 minutes until the topping is crusty, golden and bubbling.
13. Serve with an assortment of fresh seasonal vegetables and a jug of gravy.

Reviews

[Neohippie]

Keeping with the leftovers theme, I made this partially with leftover pot roast, but I didn't have enough and added some ground beef too. I topped it with leftover mashed potatoes and used green beans instead of peas since that's what I had. I also used leftover gravy from the pot roast for the "juice" in the recipe instead of the beef broth. This makes a lot. I divided it up into two 9X9 inch pans, baked one and froze the other one. The potato, leek, and cheese topping was really delicious and totally made this dish!

[OrganiGem]

everyone enjoyed this, especially the husband. All the kids ate it, with the exception of the 4 yr old, but he doesn't eat anything. My 2 year old gobbled it up. Husband says "it's a keeper". Thank you.

[hedgiehog]

This is the last cottage pie recipe I will use! The leeks make the mash topping fantastic. Also, using the mature cheddar is crucial to the final outcome. I used mince because that's what I had...I also used the peas because we love them. Gravy and steamed broccoli rounded out the meal. Fantastic flavour in the beef. Thanks for posting, Karen!