Cottage Pie - Easy Cottage Pie Recipe

Cottage Pie is one the quickest and easiest supper dishes with this easy Cottage Pie recipe. Traditionally a Cottage Pie is made with ground beef, and if using ground lamb would be called a Shepherd's Pie but the recipe is the same for both.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. / 900g peeled potatoes, quartered

• 6 tbsp. milk

• 1 stick/ 110g butter, cubed + 1 tbsp. for the sauce

• Salt and ground black pepper

• 1/2 tbsp. lard or dripping

• 1 cup/ 115g chopped onion

• 1 cup / 115g chopped carrot

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 2 cups / 450g ground/ minced beef

• 1 pint / 600 ml beef stock

• 1 cup / 115g chopped white mushrooms

• 2 tbsp. finely chopped flat leaf parsley

• 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour

• 1 cup/ 115g grated Cheddar Cheese

Preparation:

• Heat the oven to 375°F/190°C/Gas 5

• Boil the potatoes until soft, drain. Place the milk and butter in the pan used to boil the potatoes, return to the heat and warm gently until the butter has melted. Add the potatoes and mash. Season to taste and keep to one side.

• Melt the lard or dripping in a large deep pan. Add the onion and carrot and fry for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

• Add the ground beef and one quarter of the beef stock to the onion and carrot mixture and cook, stirring constantly until all the meat is browned. Add the remaining stock, parsley and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes.

• Mash the flour into the remaining 1 tbsp. butter then add in small pieces to the ground meat sauce, stirring until all the flour has dissolved and the sauce has thickened slightly, approx. 5 mins.

• Place the meat sauce into an 8"/ 20cm by 3"/7cm deep ceramic of glass ovenproof dish and cover with the mashed potato. Sprinkle the grated cheese potato on top and bake in the heated oven for 30 - 35 mins until the surface is crisp and browned. Serve immediately.

Don't forget, if you lamb instead of beef, this will be a Shepherd's Pie

Date and Walnut Pudding Recipe - Steamed Sponge Pudding

Date and Walnut Pudding is a classic British pudding. The steamed sponge pudding technique is the same for all flavors, so let your imagination loose with flavors. The classics include ginger, treacle, lemon or golden syrup. The recipe here combines dates and walnuts and a little lemon to create a delicious and moreish pudding perfect for a winter’s day.

Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 6 oz. /175g self-raising flour

• Pinch salt

• 3 oz. / 75g shredded suet

• 2 oz. / 50g fine sugar

• 1/4 pint/150ml

• 4 oz. / 100g dates and walnuts chopped

• Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

Preparation:

• Grease a 1 ½ pint pudding basin with soft unsalted butter.

• Mix the flour, salt, suet, dates, walnut, lemon rind and sugar together. Make a well in the center and add enough milk to create a dropping consistency.

• Place in the pudding basin and smooth the surface with a spoon. Cover the basin with two circles of greaseproof paper secured with kitchen string.

• Steam over rapidly boiling water for 1 ½ to 2 hours. Check frequently to make sure water has not boiled dry - top up with boiling water as needed.

• Serve warm with custard.

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 698