Cottage pie with root vegetables

If you are also making the Shepherd’s Pie set out the ingredients for both recipes and work with two pans alongside each other on the hob. The stages are very similar, so it is easy to make both dishes at the same time.

SERVES 4

PREP 15 MINUTES

COOK 40 MINUTES

2 tbsp olive oil

115g chopped onions, frozen or fresh

115g sliced carrots, frozen or fresh

500g beef mince

1 beef stock cube

400g can chopped tomatoes

2 tbsp tomato purée or ketchup

60g button mushrooms, halved

2 x 425g packs ready-made root vegetable mash, or homemade

• Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat, then add the onions and carrots and cook, stirring continuously, for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Add the mince to the pan and crumble over the stock cube. Cook, stirring to break up the mince, for about 5 minutes until browned.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato purée or ketchup and mix well to combine. Reduce the heat to a simmer and leave to cook for 10 minutes.
• Add the mushrooms to the pan, then stir until well combined. Spoon the beef mixture into the base of a large baking dish and top with the root vegetable mash, using a spatula or palette knife to spread and form an even layer.

TO SERVE Bake in an oven preheated to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 20-30 minutes, until piping hot all the way through. Serve with your choice of vegetables.

TO FREEZE Leave until completely cooled, then cover the dish with a plastic lid or a layer of clingfilm followed by a layer of foil. Label then transfer to the freezer for up to three months.

TO COOK FROM FROZEN Defrost overnight in the fridge then cook as above, until golden and bubbling. If cooking straight from frozen, increase the cooking time to 1 hour 10 minutes, covering with foil if the top starts to catch and ensuring the dish is piping hot before serving.