Cosy & classic cottage pie

There are those dishes that never fail to warm our bellies, hearts and homes in the colder months and they can certainly be full of nourishing goodness if made with the right amount of love and care.

My delicious cottage pie is loaded with essential nutrients and is an absolute crowd pleaser….and the kids wouldn’t even know it was so healthy.

Recipe served 4 - 6

Prep time : 10 minutes

Cook time : 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients:

500g sweet potatoes

500g waxy potatoes

3 Tbs olive oil

500g grass fed minced beef

1 large onion, finely chopped

1/2 leek, diced

1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped

1 tsp dried oregano

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 carrots, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

1 cup button mushrooms, finely chopped

2 tbs tomato paste

2 tbs gluten free all purpose flour

500ml good quality beef stock

1 cup baby peas

1 bunch parsley leaves, chopped

20g pecorino cheese finely grated

50g manchego or cheddar cheese grated

Method:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius.

Roast whole potatoes in hot oven for 45 minutes until a skewer easily penetrates through the centre.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tbs oil in a heavy based saucepan over medium/high heat and cook the mince until its evening browned and beginning to crisp. Around 5-10 minutes

Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.

Add the remaining oil to the pan and cook the onions and leeks for 5 minutes until they’re translucent and softened. Add the herbs, garlic, carrot, celery and mushrooms to the pan and continue to cook, stirring together for 5 minutes then add the tomato paste and flour, stir to incorporate all together then pour over the stock and mix well. Season to taste with sea salt and cracked pepper if desired. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook with a lid on for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir through the peas and the parsley.

Halve the potatoes and scoop out the flesh with a spoon, mash the potatoes and rustically top the mince with the mashed potato and scatter over the cheeses.

Gratinate in the hot oven for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the mince is bubbling around the edges.

Serve with a side of leafy green veggies.

*Grass fed beef means more amino acids, higher levels of antioxidants therefore more health benefits than grain fed meats, it is also lower in saturated fat as the animal has been grazing on his natural low calorie diet of fresh green grass.

*Beef contains high levels of zinc which is an essential nutrient in our diets for keeping our immune system healthy.

*I like to use pecorino and manchego as they’re sheeps milk cheeses and are slightly more digestible than dairy cheese. You can use which ever hard cheese you have on hand.

*Try using lamb instead of beef for a Shepards pie.