cottage pie

cprtknight4

Hi there,

Im not a very good cook, but was wondering if someone could tell me the quickest and easiest way to make cottage pie please.

Kind regards
xxx

HariboJunkie

Try browning off some mince (beef is cheaper than lamb) with onion and small pieces of carrot and a handful of frozen peas. Add some green lentils to pad it out. Mix in a little flour and beef stock. Simmer until thick. Put in oven dish and top with mashed potato. I add spring onion and grated cheese to mine. flatten out the mash and score it with a fork. this gives a nice crispy finish to the potato. Cook on medium heat until browned to your liking.

stilernin

Hi, there's a thread about 'how much mince' going at the moment you might like to look at.

hardpressed

To cut down the cost use half beef mince and half soya mince, no one will be able to tell the difference

Ticklemouse

The simplest way is to cook your mince with onion and add a little gravy/stock and flour plus seasoning and herbs to taste. Then add mash on top and either put in the oven for 20-30 mins or just brown under the grill.

Once you have mastered this or if you want to save money on meat, then add whatever other veggies etc you want. I sometimes only add a few mushrooms and carrots but have been known to add sweetcorn, tomatoes, leeks, sweet potato, green beans, peas ... in fact anything I have. I also add oats (porridge oat ones) and sometime soya mince to stretch the meat

Lillibet_2

Blimey, everyone's seems very complicated to me!:eek: I just brown off the onion, chuck in the mince, when it looks brown-ish I add a tin of chopped tomatoes (inc. juice) & some herbs & let finish then when off the heat bung in a tin of baked beans to eek it out. Shove in dish & top with mashed potato & heat/grill to serve. If I'm feeling rich I'll shove some mushrooms in too!

stilernin

Haven't seen anyone mention Worcester Sauce to add a zing to this.. forgive me if I've missed it.

MATH

The more you put into a cottage pie the better it tastes IMO. LOL

I brown some beef mince and finely chopped onion until the fat runs. Throw in a handful of oats and a tblsp of flour and toss until covered. Transfer to a casserole dish adn add a tin of baked beans, a tin of chopped tomatoes, muchrooms, diced pepper, finely diced carrot, sliced courgette and any other veggies I have hanging arround.

I then make up 1/2 pt of rich gravy (gravy browning, red wine and marmite) and add as much as I think I need. Sorry I can't be more specific but I do it by eye. Chuck the dish in the micro and blast at full power until boiling and then cook for 45-1hr on defrost to cook through.

While that is cooking I peel and chop the potatoes and swede for mashing. Chiop the swede first and start boiling and then do the tatties as swede takes longer to cook. Once tender I mash using a hand mixer and soften the mixture with a splosh of milk and gratings of black pepper.

Spoon over the meat mixture and rough the top as you would for rough finish royal icing. Sprinkly on some grated cheese and grill until brown. Alternatively make the dish up the day before and cook at 200c for an hour instead of grilling. HTH

craig777

If you're feeling exotic, then put in a bit of garlic and chilli when browning the mince.

MATH

Another mince dish that is waaaaay easy is Minted Lamb Strudle

1lb Mince Lamb
1 finely Chopped Onion
Mint Jelly
1 Packet of Puff Pastry

Brown the mince and onion in a fry pan until fully cooked and soft.
Stir in a couple of good tblsps of mint jelly.
Roll out the pastry into a large rectangle.
Arrange the mince mixture along the centre of the pastry like a sausage.
Bring up the sides of the pastry and crimp.
Slash chevrons into the pastry to allow the steam to escape.
Glaze with beaten egg and bake on a tray for 45 mins at 220c

serve with loads of steamed veggies and plenty of gravy. HTH