What a hectic week this was. It was fun and exciting to meet new people despite all the rush and spend precious time with special friends. Amidst all the hustle, I managed to cook my version of cottage pie with garlic mashed potatoes.
I made a quick and easy recipe the other day, just adding herbs and spices as I go along, which is how I cook. Everything went so fast that the parsley that I forgot to add to the mince mix ended up in the mash with some fresh garlic. I guess not a bad idea on the spur of the moment. With extra butter and some cream added, it is sheer luxury.
I just had a small ball of minced meat (about 1.5 cups), but this amount may feed three hungry souls.
Easy Cottage Pie With Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Print RecipeIngredients
- 1 good glug of olive oil
- 300 grams of beef mince
- garlic & herb seasoning, to taste
- chicken spice, to taste
- cajun spice, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon of brown onion soup powder
- 1/2 cup of sliced red pepper
- 1 carrot, very thinly sliced
- 3 potatoes
- 1 clove of garlic, grated
- 2-3 tablespoons of butter
- 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup of milk
- 1/4 cup of cream
Instructions
For the meat:
- Heat the olive oil in a pan. Add the minced beef and fry until just cooked.
- Add all the spices and seasonings and cook for another minute.
- Now add the peppers and carrots, stir through and fry for a minute or 2.
- Add 1 cup of boiling water to the pan. Cook until almost all the liquid has been absorbed/evaporated, and the carrots are tender.
- Stir in the soup powder to form a lovely thick gravy.
- Remove from the heat and set aside.
For the garlic mash:
- Peel, dice and cook three potatoes in salted water until tender.
- Drain the water and place the potatoes back in the pot.
- Add one grated clove of garlic and 2-3 tablespoons of butter, and one tablespoon of chopped parsley.
- Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes until lump-free.
- Stir in about 1/4 cup of milk and 1/4 cup of cream. The mash should be thick and creamy, not too dry and not too runny.
To assemble:
- Spoon the mince and veggie mix into a small ovenproof dish.
- Top with the mashed potatoes.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 190 degrees Celsius for about 15 minutes. The top of the mashed potatoes should start to turn golden brown and crusty.
I served the cottage pie with some steamed green beans with butter and nutmeg added to it. Indeed not your average Saturday lunch, but so worth the effort. Feel free to swap spices and seasonings with whatever you have in your spice cupboard.
