Retired Techie

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Complete Comfort Food – Cottage (Shepard) Pie

Published on October 27, 2021 at 8:03 am by LEW

Introduction

Cottage pie is a dish of English/Irish origin, a savory pie (made with meat instead of fruit). It consists of a minced or ground meat and diced vegetable filling topped with mashed potato. Traditionally Cottage pie is made with beef, and Shepard’s pie is made with lamb. In the United States most people know the beef version as Shepard’s pie.

This is my version of the dish, which I have made adjustments to over the years, so it is not exactly traditional.

Ingredients

• 2 lb potatoes (approximately 4 medium russet or Yukon gold)
• 8 Tbsp butter (1 stick) divided
• Medium Onion (yellow or white)
• 2 Cloves garlic
• 1/2 lb mixed vegetables (carrots, celery, peas, corn, etc)
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 3 oz cheese (Cheddar, Colby, etc)
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 Tsp salt (to taste)
• 1 Tsp pepper (to taste)
• 1/4 cup Milk
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 1/2 Tbsp flour
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste

Equipment

• Medium Pot
• Potato masher
• Medium Kitchen mixing Spoon
• Casserole dish
• Colander
• Skillet
• Large bowl
• Small bowl

Instructions

1. Preparation: Peal potatoes and chop into 1″ sections. Vegetables should be diced and in even proportions. (mix of diced carrots, diced celery, corn, peas, beans, etc). Grate cheese (Cheddar, Colby, etc). Mince garlic. Dice Onion. Divide butter in half and melt half of it.
2. In medium pot cover potatoes with water, add 1 Tsp of salt. Bring to a rolling boil over hi heat. Then turn down and simmer until soft, about 15 minutes. Use a colander to drain, and allow to cool. Potatoes should stop steaming before being mashed.
3. Add olive oil to a medium skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the beef. Cook until browned. Drain when done.
4. To the skillet add 4 Tbsp of butter. Then add vegetables and cook for five minutes. Then add garlic and onions. Cook until vegetables are soft.
5. Add Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, wine, and beef broth to skillet. Stir in flour. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Set heat to low and simmer the mixture for approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the gravy reaches the desired consistency, remove from heat and set aside to cool.
7. Put potatoes in a bowl with remaining butter and milk. Mash until smooth, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. In the casserole dish spread the meat mixture in an even layer. Then spread the mashed potatoes on top of the meat in an even layer. Sprinkle grated cheese on top of the mashed potatoes.
9. Preheat oven to 400 F. Back until brown and bubbling (about 30 minutes). Remove and allow to cool before serving.

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