Cottage pie

SERVES 6 PREP TIME 30 MINUTES COOKING TIME 1 HOUR 4 sebago or Dutch cream potatoes (about 800g)

50g butter

⅓ cup (80ml) milk

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

2 brown onions, chopped 2 medium carrots, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

750g lean beef mince

½ cup tomato paste

¼ cup plain flour

1 cup (250ml) beef stock ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 180°C. Peel the potatoes and boil in a large pot of salted water until tender. Drain and mash immediately with half the butter, the milk and half the salt. Set aside.

In a large frypan, heat the oil over a medium-high heat and add the onion, carrot and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes or until transparent and fragrant. Add the beef and cook for a further 6-8 minutes, stirring and breaking up any lumps with a spoon, until all the meat has browned.

Add the tomato paste and sauté for a further minute. Sprinkle the flour over the meat mixture and stir to mix through. Stir in the stock, a little at a time, until all incorporated. The meat mixture should be a lovely dark brown colour, and the gravy will be rich. Season with remaining salt and pepper to taste.

Place the meat mixture into a medium ovenproof dish. Carefully spread the mashed potato over the top and rough it up with a fork – this will help to create lovely crispy bits on top. Dot the top with the remaining butter.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is a deep golden brown.