COTTAGE PIE

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Total cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Serves 6-8

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, chopped

2 carrots, diced

1 celery stick, diced

1 kg (2 lb) beef mince

2 tablespoons plain flour

1½ cups (375 ml/12 fl oz) beef stock

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons tomato sauce

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

TOPPING

800 g (1 lb 10 oz) potatoes, diced

400 g (13 oz) parsnips, diced

30 g (1 oz) butter

½ cup (125 ml/4 fl oz) milk

Method

1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion, carrot and celery, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until softened and lightly coloured. Add the mince and cook for 7 minutes, then stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add the stock, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, tomato paste and bay leaves and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Leave to cool. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the parsley.

2 To make the topping, boil the potato and parsnip in salted water for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain, return to the pan and mash with the butter and enough of the milk to make a firm mash.

3 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°P/ Gas 4) and lightly grease a 2.5 litre ovenproof dish. Spoon the filling into the dish and spread the topping over it. Fluff with a fork. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden.