Cottage Pie!

Hi Friends:

When I was growing up, we had a lot of one-skillet suppers: macaroni and cheese, chicken cacciatore, American chop suey - all decidedly comfort food, flavorful and satisfying. Cottage pie is another such meal. It dates back to the late 1700's when it was a way of using leftover roasted meat and prepared with an affordable mashed potato crust. Now synonymous with shepherd's pie, (although my English husband says cottage pie is made with beef and shepherd's pie with lamb as shepherds are concerned with sheep) the dish remains much the same and is prized for its golden mashed potato crust. Here's a classic version that I think you will enjoy. Prepare it in a large casserole dish or make individual servings in ramekins - serves six.

Cottage Pie

Ingredients:
2 lbs potatoes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 3/4 lbs ground beef
4 teaspoons tomato paste
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen peas
salt and pepper to taste
melted butter 
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Peel and boil potatoes for mashing. In a large skillet or dutch oven over medium low heat, saute garlic, onion and carrots in oil until slightly softened.

Turn up the heat and add the ground beef. Continue cooking until brown. Stir in the tomato paste, beef stock and peas. Season with salt and pepper.

Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a casserole dish if not using a dutch oven. Mash potatoes (with milk and butter to taste) and spread over the top of the dish. Brush with melted butter and bake for 40 minutes.

Enjoy with the family on a chilly night!