Cottage Pie

This yummy winter warmer is hard to beat.

It is great to make in the morning and simply heat up in the oven for dinner. 

It also makes great leftovers. You can also swap out the potatoes for sweet potatoes.

Ingrediants

2 bay leaves 

5 sprigs of thyme

5 small sprigs of rosemary

1 teaspoon whole cloves

1 beef stock cube

5 medium potatoes peeled and chopped into small cubes

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil (or cooking oil of your choice)

¼ onion (red, brown or white)

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

350g premium beef mince

3 carrots peeled and chopped into thin rounds

1 can kidney beans

5 dashes of Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons dark brown gravy powder

2 teaspoons paprika

Cracked pepper

½ cup grated Edam cheese

Knob of butter

Milk

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180℃ or 356℉ fan bake.
2. In a small pot on a low heat, add 750ml of boiling water, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, cloves and beef stock. Stirring occasionally.
3. In another pot put potatoes on to boil with a teaspoon of salt. Boil for 20 minutes.
4. While the potatoes are boiling. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Brown onions, then add garlic and minced beef.
5. Once beef is cooked, add carrots, drain and wash red kidney beans and add to frying pan.
6. Drain small pot of stock through a sieve into the beef mixture so that all the herbs are collected in a sieve.
7. Add Worcestershire sauce, gravy powder, paprika, pepper and stir. Leave on low heat.
8. When potatoes are cooked, drain, mash and add cheese and butter. Add milk as required to make a smooth glossy mash potatoes.
9. Put meat mixture into the bottom of a oven proof dish or small ramekins and top with mashed potatoes. Handy hint - place mash out on top of meat mixture in small clumps, drag a fork over the top to join the clumps up without dragging the beef mixture to the top.
10. Place in the oven. At this stage you can also place in the fridge and cook in the oven later.
11. Pie is ready to eat when the top is brown and the meat mixture is bubbling.