Cottage Pie with Dauphinois Potato Topping
Serves 6-8
- 1 Tb sunflower oil
- 900 g 2 lb minced beef
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 celery sticks, diced
- 500 g 2 oz plain flour
- 250 ml 9 oz red wine
- 300 ml 1/2 pint beef stock
- 2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tbs light muscovado sugar
- 1 Tbs chopped thyme
- 250 g 9 oz small chesnut mushrooms, sliced
- dash gravy browning (optional)
- 1.5 kg 3 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 4 mm slices
- 150 ml 1/4 pint heavy cream
- 100 g 4 oz sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
- salt
- finely ground pepper
- You will need a 2 liter 3 1/2 pint shallow ovenproof dish.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan until hot.
- Fry the beef over high heat until golden brown, stirring, then remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add the onion and celery to the pan and fry until beginning to soften.
- Return the beef to the pan.
- Whisk the flour and wine together in a bowl to make a smooth paste.
- Whisk in the stock then add to the pan with the Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and thyme.
- Bring to a boil, stirring until thickened, then add the mushrooms and gravy browning, if using, and season.
- Cover with a lid and simmer for 45 minutes, until the beef is tender, then check the seasoning.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Cook the potato slices in boiling salted water for about 4-5 minutes, they need to be just soft.
- Drain carefully in a colander and leave to cool a little.
- Don't worry if the potatoes break up a little, as this will help them absorb the cream; if they are too hard they will be waxy and the cream will run off.
- Tip the cooked meat into the ovenproof dish.
- Arrange a layer of the blanched potato on top of the beef, then pour over half the cream.
- Arrange the remaining potato on top, seasoning between the layers, then pour over the remaining cream and sprinkle the cheese on top.
- Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
. Mary Berry Cooks. Page 107. London: BBC Books, 2014.