Strumpet we love cottage pie too. I brown the mince and drain off the fat. I add oxo cubes, Worcester sauce, a table spoon of marmite, salt & pepper and a couple of tins of chopped tomatoes.
I make a jug of broth and add splashes as the mince cooks.
While the mince is cooking I fry onions, garlic and carrots and put to one side.
I peel the spuds and let them stand in cold water.
Next i fry a couple of sliced leaks in butter and set aside.
I put the timer on the hob for 20 mins and leave the mince alone.
After 20 mins I stir the mince and add broth when needed.
I do this for 2 1/2 hours.
Making sure the mince doesn't dry out. Then i add the garlic, carrots and frozen peas and set the timer for 20 mins again. I keep going back to stir in the broth.
After about an hour I put the mince in a dish and leave it to cool.
Then I boil the spuds and mash them with butter, cheese, salt, pepper and the leaks.
By now the mince is cool so when you spread the spuds on top of the mince, the spuds won't sink. I add more cheese on top of the mash and cook in the oven for about an hour.
Cottage pie that melts in your mouth!
Bloody hell, I'm starving now 