Cottage Pie Recipe

Cottage Pie

6 main servings. Not sure about timings or whether to start cooking potatoes first. I like the carrots to be slightly firm, and not flavouring the meat too much. However, the herb flavour, etc, needs to develop.

		Meat:
1½ lb		Fairly lean mince
2 lg		Onion, chopped quite finely
2-3		Carrots, med, sliced
½-1 t		Dried herbs, eg thyme
3 T		Worcestershire sauce
3/4 pt		Meat stock, or substitute
2 T		Flour
		Potato topping
2-2½ lb		Potatoes
½-1 t		Dried herbs (opt)
4-6 T		Butter

Preheat oven 350F, preheat heatproof dishes;
Sauté onion, adding carrot, for 5-8 mins, remove to a plate leaving oil;
Brown mince well, drain fat;
Add herbs, carrots, onion, stir, add flour and coat;
Cook slightly, add liquid in, say, 4 stages, stirring;
Simmer 15 mins w/lid, adding a little extra water if required;
Cook potatoes, mash, add butter and herbs as desired;
Put meat into dishes, and spread potato over the top;
Make two layers, and roughen surface of potato slightly;
Bake 20 mins;
Use broiler about 10 mins to brown top.

Notes:

2006/09/30 Only simmered 15mins, maybe slightly dry, 10 mins bake, 10 mins broil.