Daily Mail - Daily Mail Weekend Magazine
COTTAGE PIE
This was probably the most requested dish from Princes William and Harry when they were home from school with their mother. It’s real nursery comfort food and can be enjoyed with peas and carrots.
Serves 4 For the beef base
2tbsp vegetable oil
2 small onions, chopped
700g (1lb 8oz) minced beef
80g (3oz) plain flour
1-2tsp dried thyme, to taste
480ml (17fl oz) water
1tbsp liquid gravy browning (from supermarkets)
2 beef stock cubes
1tbsp Worcestershire
sauce
For the topping
900g (2lb) (peeled weight) medium red potatoes
A pinch of grated
nutmeg
4tbsp double cream
1 egg yolk
55g (2oz) butter
2tsp salt
A pinch of ground
white pepper
100g (3½oz) grated Cheddar (for the Queen, I’d use mature, but for the princes I’d use mild) In a large pan over a high flame, heat the oil and sauté the onions until soft and translucent. Add the beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Sauté until the beef has lost all its pink colour. Gradually stir in the flour, thyme, water, gravy browning, beef stock cubes and Worcestershire sauce.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the meat is tender. Remove the pan from the stove and use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a large baking dish. Leave to cool. Cool and chill any remaining sauce. Preheat the oven to 180° C/ fan 160° C/gas 4.
For the topping, place the potatoes in a pan and add cold water to 2.5cm above them. Cover and bring to the boil over a high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are forktender. Pour into a strainer and put the drained potatoes back in the pan over a low heat for 1-2 minutes to dry them. Mash the potatoes until smooth. Stir the nutmeg, cream, egg yolk, butter, salt and white pepper into the mash, then pipe it on top of the meat using a wide nozzle, or spoon it on and fluff it up with a fork. Sprinkle with the grated Cheddar. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the mashed potato is golden brown on top and the pie has heated through. Gently reheat any leftover sauce in a pan, if you like, and serve alongside the cottage pie.