Cottage pie

[pinkblushansLM]

Does anyone have a beautiful cottage or shepherds pie recipe?

Whenever I follow anything online it always seems to just taste of tomato!

I don't put any tomato in mine! Just beef stock and maybe red wine.

My family don’t like me putting tomatoes in mine so I leave tomatoes out. I soften onions, then add meat to brown then add beef stock cubes, water and some pepper and Worcester sauce. I leave to simmer for 30 minutes, then add gravy granules to thicken.

I don't put tomatoes in like tin tomatoes but we have started to put in a little tomato paste

We do put cut baby tomatoes on top of the mash though

What about carrots etc? Do you put those in?

www.dontgobaconmyheart.co.uk/traditional-cottage-pie/#recipe

This one is delicious! The only tomato is 1tbsp of tomato purée so not overpowering at all. Lovely rich flavour.

I just put a small squirt of tomato puree.

Best cottage pie ever

www.deliaonline.com/recipes/international/european/british/shepherds-pie-with-cheese-crusted-leeks?amp

This is the variant my kids loved:

www.shoestringcottage.com/sarah-browns-red-dragon-pie/

Its vegan and I used to add vegetarian worcester sauce. It lends itself to variations quite well (my lot liked the mash with added butter and parmesan). Tinned beans work fine.

This is DH’s way. He puts mushrooms in as well.

Onion, beef mince, some finely chopped carrot, celery and mushrooms, beef and chicken stock cubes (I make a large quantity), maybe a handful of red lentils, black pepper, Worcester Sauce, and dh likes some baked beans added - half a tin is enough. If the liquid looks a bit thin I’ll thicken it with flour or cornflour, mixed in a cup first, with non boiling liquid.
Lots of mash with grated cheese on top.

Thanks all - maybe I just need to totally go to basics and not put much in!

I agree, this is the gold standard recipe (although I do make my mash a bit looser than hers).

... and Worcester sauce.

This is the key!

Cheesy potato topping is a winner in this house, yes to carrots & peas.

Do not, under any circumstances, pick up soy sauce instead of Worcester sauce by mistake 🤦🏼‍♀️

I browne mince onnion carrots ad oxo cubes then add the gravey and leave to simmer for 30 mins add the peas the put in the dish then add the mash

I put a squirt of balsamic vinegar in mine, it zings it up a little.

Mince, carrots, peas, onion, bisto gravy. Mashed potato on top and cook until the top is crusty. Shepherd's/cottage pie should be basic 'proper' tea. It doesn't need fussing with BUT it does taste incredible with the addition of Henderson's Relish

Marmite is added to mine

@slamwich mine too.

Soften onion and diced carrot, add mince, brown, add a tbdp tom puree and couple of spoons of flour, mix together, add water , stir and simmer to thicken, sprinkle over an oxo cube/stock pot . Frozen peas if you fancy.

Ooh I’ve never used tomato!

Mince, beef stock cube, carrots, onion & peas… mash & grated cheese on top. Beautiful.

I put a standard tin of chopped tomatoes in to 500g of mince for a cottage pie. I also add a stock cube, some mixed herbs, Worcestershire sauce and/or a teaspoon of marmite. It doesn't taste too tomato-y, just very savoury.

I think the trick is to cook it for a very long time in the oven. I give it at least 2 hours on a fairly low heat and it reduces down beautifully.

I also add carrots and sometimes celery. Never mushrooms.

I think mushrooms do really add depth of flavour to a cottage pie, however they would be picked out my the majority here. So I chop, fry them off with the onion and celery, then blitz to a paste so undetectable. They then go in with the mince. Add carrots, rosemary, thyme, beef stock, Worcester sauce, a squirt of tomato purée. If time allows, I usually put the base in casserole dish in a low oven for an hour, then transfer to an oven proof dish, top with mash (occasionally mix it up by adding sweet potato or parsnip to white potatoes.) Rough it up a bit with a fork (essential for a crispy top). And then sprinkle over a little bit of cheese, grated on the finest side of the grater and put it back in the oven for about 40 mins.

I don't put peas in it but some times serve them on the side.

I just fry mince and onion, add water carrots and peas and an oxo cube and thicken it with bisto

Never used tomatoes in mine….www.deliaonline.com/recipes/international/european/british/shepherds-pie-with-cheese-crusted-leeks The cheese leeks are optional.