My Recipe Collection: Cottage Pie

It appears that cottage pies are made with beef and shepherd's pies are made with lamb

This recipe has quite a few steps, and requires quite a bit of work, and it may get a little hectic if you're making other dishes, but it tastes great!
I made this for a half Christmas, half end-of-the-world-eve dinner party at my place, and apart from the slightly raw garlic in the mashed potatoes, everyone loved it!



Makes a 2-quart casserole

Ingredients:

• 4 large potatoes, peeled & cubed
• 5 medium-sized carrots, thinly-sliced
• 1 onion, chopped (to be mixed with ground beef)
• 1 lb ground beef

• 1 tbp butter
• 1 tbp oil
• 1 tbp onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbp garlic, very finel chopped
• 2 tbp all-purpose flour
• 1 tbp ketchup
• 3/4 cup beef broth  ( or 1 beef stock cube )
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
• some Montreal steak spice (optional)
• some rosemary (optional)

Steps:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Put potatoes in, and steam carrots until tender. Approximately 15 minutes.
   The carrots may take a lot longer if you didn't cut it thin enough!
   Once they are soft, drain and mash separately.
2. For potatoes, mix butter into potato, and immediately add the finely chopped onion and garlic. Season with salt & pepper, and add 1/4 cup of shredded cheese.
   Set aside.
3. Mash carrots. 
4. Preheat oven to 375F
5. Heat oil in a frying pan, add onion, cook until clear.
   Add ground beef, add some steak spice, dried rosemary, cook until well browned.
   Pour off excess fat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
   Add ketchup and beef broth.
   Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. 
6. In a 2 quart casserole dish, spread the ground beef in an even layer on the bottom.
   Spread a layer of mashed carrots. Then top with mashed potatoes.
   Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese on top.
7. Bake for ~ 20 minutes until golden brown. 

Done!~