G F Friendly
Cottage Pie
Easy Beef Mince Budget-Saver Family Meal
400g lean beef mince
250g mixed vegetables (frozen or canned)
4 medium potatoes
25g butter or margarine
milk
1 tsp anchovy sauce
1 beef stock cube (or 1 tsp beef stock powder)
1 Tbsp Bisto (or gravy powder)
1 cup grated cheese
1½ cups cold water
salt & pepper
Put a tablespoon of water in a medium size pan, add mince and separate while cooking over a low heat, turning occasionally until browned. Drain off liquid (this gets rid of the excess fat). Add anchovy sauce, the crumbled stock cube (or powder) and water, stir to mix, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes, checking occasionally to ensure liquid doesn’t boil away. Allow to cool while preparing the other ingredients.
Pre-cook mixed vegetables of your choice, but do not over-cook. Drain and set aside. Peel, cube and cook potatoes until soft. Drain, cover and let steam for 3 minutes. Drain again, then add butter or margarine, salt and pepper to taste, replace the cover and let stand a further 2 minutes. Now, mash well, adding a little milk if necessary to produce a creamy, but stiff mixture – avoid adding too much milk which will make this topping mushy.
Sprinkle the gravy powder over the mince, stir in, then bring to the boil slowly, stirring constantly. If necessary, add more water to thin, or simmer to reduce the liquid – the gravy should be like thick cream.
Pour the mince mixture into a 2 litre baking/casserole dish, or divide it evenly between 4 individual ramekins or oven-proof dishes. Spread cooked vegetables over meat mixture, then top with mashed potato. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake in oven on 180°C (165°C fan forced) until cheese has melted and is starting to brown. Serve on its own, or with extra vegetables and gravy.
Serves 4 Freezes well
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