Easy Cottage Pie
Savory comfort food! Homemade beef cottage pie with creamy mashed potatoes. The perfect recipe for any season.
Servings: 8
Equipment
- 1 potato ricer optional
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound organic grass fed ground beef 85% lean
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 1 large shallot finely diced
- 4 large carrots peeled and finely diced
- 2 large stalks celery trimmed and finely diced
- 3 cloves fresh garlic peeled
- 4 stems of fresh thyme
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups beef bone broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons veal demi glacé
- 1 tablespoon Irish whiskey
- 1/3 cup frozen green peas
- Salt & pepper
- Italian parsley for garnish
For the Potatoes
- 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes peeled and roughly cubed
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup half & half
- Salt & black pepper
- 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a medium sized (4 1/2 quart) Dutch oven. Once hot, add the ground beef with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of fresh pepper.
- Cook the beef through, breaking up the large pieces with a spatula, then remove the cooked beef and place in a small mixing bowl. Keep the olive oil and beef drippings in the Dutch oven for the next step.
- Change to medium heat and add the finely diced onion, shallot, carrots, and celery to the Dutch oven. Add the fresh thyme leaves and stir. Season with a generous pinch of salt and black pepper.
- Cook until the onions start to turn slightly translucent, while stirring occasionally. Use a garlic press to crush the garlic and add to the pot. Cook for another 30 seconds until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add the flour to the pot and stir thoroughly. Coat all of the vegetables with the flour and continue cooking for 2-3 more minutes.
- Next, add the bone broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, veal demi glacé, and Irish whisky to the Dutch oven. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil while stirring occasionally. Once at a boil, lower the heat to a simmer and add the green peas (frozen is fine) and cooked ground beef to the pot.
- Let simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. The liquid level should evaporate and thicken to be slightly below the meat and vegetables. Adjust the seasoning and stir occasionally.
- While the cottage pie filling simmers, it's time to make the potato topping:
- Fill a pasta pot with cold water and add a pinch of salt. Add the cubed potatoes to the pasta pot and place over medium high heat. Let the water come to a boil and cook the potatoes until fork tender.
- Drain the potatoes, then, using a potato ricer and large bowl, 'rice' the potatoes to make them airy and smooth.
- Heat the half & half and butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 30 second increments until the butter has melted, or heat slowly on the stovetop using a small sauce pan. Add this mixture to the potatoes and stir thoroughly. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Shred 6 ounces of sharp cheddar cheese and reserve about 1/3 of a cup to the side. Add the remaining shredded cheese to the potatoes and stir well.
- After the cottage pie filling has reduced and thickened, remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350F at this point.
- Using a large spoon, dollop the mashed cheddar potatoes on top of the filling in one thick layer. You can gently swoop the potatoes with the back of a spoon if desired.
- Sprinkle the 1/3 cup of cheddar cheese on top of the mashed potatoes and place the whole cottage pie pot into the oven. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbly and golden. I like to also give the potatoes a quick broil after baking, just to add a bit more color.
- Remove from the oven and let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh Italian parsley if desired.