Cat’s Cottage Pie with Cheesy Leek Mash
Ingredients
- 1kg floury potatoes peeled and cut in half
- 500g beef mince
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 stick celery finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tsp thyme
- 2 tsp english mustard
- 1.5 tsp worcester sauce
- 1 tsp bovril
- 500ml beef stock
- salt and black pepper
- 2 -3 leeks sliced
- 50g cream cheese
- 100g mature cheddar
Preparation
Saute the onion, carrot and celery on a medium high heat until the onion starts to turn golden brown, turn the heat up and add the garlic and mince, breaking it up with your spatula. Brown off the beef on high for 15 mins stirring regularly
Add the thyme, Worcester sauce, mustard and Bovril, stir in and then add the flour and stir in for a couple of mins. Add the stock, bring up to a light simmer and reduce for 40 mins, stirring occasionally
While the filling is reducing, put the potatoes in a pot and cover with boiled water, bring up to the boil and after ten mins add the leeks. Simmer until the potatoes are cooked through, and then drain well. Pop the colander back on the pan over the residual heat for a couple of mins to remove any excess water and then put them back in the pan to mash. Roughly mash the potatoes and leeks, stir in the cream cheese and 3/4 of the grated cheese and mix in. Season with salt and black pepper
The beef filling should have reduced to a nice thick gravy, cook it a little longer if needed. Decant, into a baking dish and then cover with the cheesy leek mash. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on the top and bake in the over on 200 degrees for 30 mins, until golden brown