Budget dinners for weeknights

Monday CUMBERLAND PIE SERVES 4 PREP 15 MINS COOK 30 MINS PER SERVE 1935kj

1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 1 parsnip, finely chopped 1 carrot, finely chopped 500g chicken mince 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 tsp thyme leaves, plus 4 extra sprigs ¼ cup plain flour 1 ½ cups chicken stock ½ cup milk 1 bay leaf ½ cup frozen peas 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs

TOPPING

750g butternut pumpkin, peeled, chopped 10g butter

1 In a large frying pan, heat oil on medium. Saute onion, parsnip and carrot 3-4 minutes until tender. 2 Increase heat to high. Add mince, garlic and thyme to pan. Cook 5-6 minutes, breaking up lumps until evenly browned. 3 Mix in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually pour in combined stock and milk, stirring until boiling and smooth. Add bay leaf. Reduce heat to low and simmer 3 minutes, until thickened. Stir peas and sauce through. 4 TOPPING Meanwhile, cook pumpkin in a saucepan of boiling water, 10-15 minutes until tender. Mash with butter and season to taste. 5 Spoon chicken mixture into 4 x 1 ¼-cup ovenproof dishes. Cover with pumpkin. Sprinkle with crumbs and extra thyme. 6 Bake 10-15 minutes, until crumbs are toasted and golden and filling is bubbling. Accompany with vegetables or salad.

✦ COOKING TIP Kumara can be used in place of the pumpkin for the topping. Sprinkle with grated cheese before baking, if liked.