Serves 8 / Makes 8 ramekins
Ingredients:
- 500g floury potatoes, peeled
- 60g butter
- 125ml cream, heated
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 marrow, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 500g portabello mushrooms
- 500g beef mince
- 1 Tbsp flour
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 x 400g tin crushed tomatoes
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
- In a large pot of salted cold water add the peeled potatoes.
- Bring to a boil and cook until soft, about 20 min.
- Drain the potatoes and mash immediately while still hot.
- Add the butter while mashing and pour in the warm cream.
- Mash until smooth, taste to adjust seasoning, and set aside.
- Use plastic wrap in contact with the mash to prevent it from forming a skin.
- In a large saucepan sauté the onion, carrot, red pepper, marrow, and garlic in a drizzle of olive oil. Sauté until the vegetables are soft. Season.
- Remove from the pan and purée the vegetables using a hand blender or food processor.
- Set aside.
- Using a food processor, pulse the mushrooms until they are very finely chopped.
- In the same pan used to cook the vegetables, sauté the mushrooms in a drizzle of olive oil until they have sweated off most of their water, about 10 to 15 min. Set aside.
- Again in the same pan brown the mince in two batches using a little olive oil per batch.
- Lightly sprinkle the flour and worcestershire sauce over the mince while it is cooking.
- Once both batches are browned add the mushrooms and blended veggies back to the pan along with the tin of tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
- Preheat grill to 200˚C.
- To construct the cottage pies:
- Fill two thirds of the ramekins with mushroom & mince mixture.
- Fill the top third with mashed potatoes and fluff with a fork.
- Place ramekins onto a baking tray and grill until the tops of the mash are golden brown.
- Serve warm with a side salad.
