The British are known for their fantastic music culture, but they’re not always the go-to cuisine when it comes to cooking. Despite this, there are some great dishes. They may not have fancy names, but they’re full of heart and taste great. This inspired me to make my very own Beef and Mustard Cottage Pie with a twist.
Cottage pie is made with beef, and Sheperd’s pie is made using lamb. It’s proper comfort food. If the weather is cold or dark and gloomy, you can always rely on a dish like this to lift your spirit.
Something to give it that extra flavour in this Beef and Mustard Cottage Pie recipe is the Smokey pancetta. You can also use smoked streaky bacon, and it will work just the same; you’ll find adding the pancetta helps season the dish without the need to add extra salt. Pepper, of course, can be added and plenty too.
The next twist is the mustard. For me, it has to be Dijon mustard as it’s not too overpowering yet has enough character to evolve the dish into something special.
Satisfying Beef and Mustard Cottage Pie
Ingredients
500 grams ground beef (minced beef) - lean
500 ml beef stock (beef broth or beef bouillon)
80 ml passata or crushed tomatoes (tomato puree with seeds removed)
6 rashes bacon - smoked streaky
2 large carrots
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic
3 large potatoes
100 grams cheddar cheese - grated
3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Instructions
- Dice onion and peel and grate your carrots, ready to be cooked.
- Brown off the beef in the pan, separating it into a fine mince. Then set aside in a bowl.
- Heat olive oil in the same pan, add the onion and carrots, brown off for a couple of minutes on medium heat, and then add the beef back to the pan, followed by a crushed garlic clove.
- Add the beef/chicken stock, tomato puree, and Dijon mustard, then bring to a boil.
- Decrease the heat and let simmer for 15 minutes with the lid on. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to the gas mark at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice your potatoes about a millimetre thick and part boil for 5 minutes, then cool under cold water.
- Add the cooked mince to a dish and then cover with a layer of potatoes. Add some grated cheese, followed by another layer of potatoes. Finally, another layer of grated cheese, then drizzle some olive oil and a little black pepper.
- Bake in your oven for 30 minutes until golden brown.
