Good Food Every Day

My Cottage Pie

This cottage pie is nearly traditional, but for a couple of additional ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 lb or 500g of low fat minced beef (Ground Beef)

1 onion

1 beef stock cube – I use oxo

Worcestershire sauce

1 415g or 15oz tin of Heinz beans , or other beans you like.

2 garlic cloves

Water

Mashed potato

3 or 4 Finely chopped spring onions (scallions)

Half a pound of grated strong cheddar.

Salt and pepper.

Method:

Set oven to 350°F, 180°C or Gas Mk 4.

Chop the onion and fry it in the oil until coloured but not burnt.

Break the minced beef up and fry it quickly with the onions until cooked through.

Add crushed garlic cloves and cook for a minute or so.

 Add the stock cube, the tin of beans, as much Worcestershire sauce as you like and enough water to stop the meat filling from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Season if needed.

Cook for a few minutes and then slap the whole lot into a wide flat casserole dish. Let it cool for a while, so it firms up slightly.

Mix chopped spring onions into potato, season with salt and pepper and spread over meat.

Spread grated cheese evenly on top and bake in oven for about 30 – 50 minutes or until cheese is golden brown.

Variation: Sometimes I salt and fry a medium size, sliced aubergine (eggplant) and layer it with the meat. It works quite well!

Do not share. Makes four portions so you could eat one half after making it and take the rest to work for your lunch the next day.