Cottage Pie

Ingredients

For the recipe

• 750 g ground beef, approximately 90% lean / 10% fat
• 1 kg floury potatoes, peeled weight, cut into even 3 cm pieces
• 200 g onion, peeled and finely diced
• 200 g carrots, peeled and cut into small cubes
• 100 g celery, finely diced
• 12 g garlic, finely chopped
• 150 g frozen peas
• 15 g olive oil
• 40 g tomato paste
• 25 g plain all-purpose flour
• 450 ml low-sodium beef stock
• 15 ml Worcestershire sauce (1 tablespoon; approximately 18 g)
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme (2 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed (1 g)
• 1 bay leaf
• 50 g unsalted butter
• 150 ml whole milk
• 60 g cheddar cheese, finely grated
• 8 g fine salt, divided: 4 g for filling and 4 g for mash, or less to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (1 g), divided
• Cold water to cover the potatoes for boiling

Instructions

1. Place the peeled potato pieces in a saucepan and cover with cold water by about 3 cm. Bring to a boil, reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, until a knife passes easily through the centers. Drain thoroughly and let steam dry in the warm pan for 2 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat a wide, heavy pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and half the ground beef. Break it into small pieces and cook for 4-5 minutes, until browned in places. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the remaining beef, using the fat already in the pan.
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots and celery to the same pan and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring, until beginning to soften. Add the garlic, thyme and rosemary and stir for 30 seconds.
4. Return the beef and any juices to the pan. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute until no dry flour remains. Check that the beef reaches at least 71°C (160°F) during cooking.
5. Gradually pour in the stock, stirring and scraping the base. Add the Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, 4 g salt and half the black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gravy is thick and the carrots are tender.
6. Stir in the frozen peas and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Drag a spoon across the pan: the gravy should close the trail slowly rather than immediately running back like broth. Simmer longer if necessary, then transfer to a baking dish with a capacity of approximately 3 liters.
7. Let the filling settle and stop steaming strongly for about 10 minutes. Heat the oven to 200°C conventional / 180°C fan (400°F). Warm the milk and butter together gently until the butter melts; do not boil.
8. Mash the well-drained potatoes by hand or pass through a potato ricer. Fold in the warm milk and butter, the remaining 4 g salt and remaining black pepper. Stop mixing as soon as the mash is smooth; a blender or food processor can make it gluey.
9. Spoon small mounds of mash around the edges of the filling first, then across the center. Join them gently with the back of a spoon, sealing to the edges without pressing down into the gravy.
10. Drag a fork over the mash to make shallow ridges and scatter the cheddar evenly on top. Place the dish on a baking tray to catch any drips.
11. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the filling bubbles around the edges, the topping is golden and the center reaches 74°C (165°F). For more color, use the grill/broiler for 1-2 minutes at the end, watching constantly.
12. Rest for 10 minutes before dividing into six portions. Spoon each serving deeply enough to include both the beef filling and potato topping.