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Cottage pie recipe
in the introduction, this dish is very similar to shepherds pie, but uses minced or ground beef instead of lamb. The usual method is to use raw meat rather than leftover, again a different effect is achieved. If you are starting from scratch, as is the normal case, boil some potatoes to be mashed. When cooked add an egg and milk plus seasoning and mash until smooth and creamy, and fairly stiff. Retain the cooking water to make the gravy. You should also boil carrots, either with the potatoes, or separately. Do not allow them to become too well cooked, as they will cook more in the pie, they should still be firm. Once again keep the water.  Brown some onions in oil, add the beef and fry quickly to brown all over, separating the meat so that it does not clump. Remove from the heat and add flour, about a tablespoon, for a thick gravy, to soak up the oil, plus your usual beef cube or gravy mix. Add the potato and carrot stock to make a roux type gravy with the mixture,and bring to the boil, adding water as required. Continue simmering to cook the flour, adding more water if necessary, to arrive at a fairly thick consistency. At this stage throw in some frozen peas, and adjust the consistency by adding water or cooking longer (or both!) Allow this mixture to cool, if you have time, and then place in a casserole dish, glass, metal or ceramic. Top this mixture with the mashed potato to fill the dish, and grate some cheese over the top. You can keep the dish in the refrigerator for several hours, if you wish, or cook straight away. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 300F or 150C. The temperature may be increased for the last few minutes to brown the cheese, or you can brown it under the grill or broiler. Several variations to this dish are possible, as your experience will have already suggested, no doubt. Cottage pie can have many variations, some of our ideas for the meat mixture are: Add tomato paste. Add sliced mushrooms. Add frozen beans. Add sliced tomatoes. Add a glass of red wine. The last one could also be used for the cook.
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shepherds pie recipe intro
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