In the first episode of Mary at 90: A Lifetime of Cooking on the BBC last night, Mary shared three recipes from her new book. That included her reinvented cottage pie she cooks for her entire family. The recipe uses braised beef with a delicious mashed potato that contains cauliflower.
The recipe notes said: “This hearty beef stew is topped with a creamy cauliflower and potato mash for a comforting twist on a classic. Perfect for batch cooking or a weekend family meal. The mash also works beautifully with other slow-cooked dishes.” For this recipe, you will need a 1.75-litre ovenproof shallow dish, and this dish serves six to eight people.
How to make Mary Berry’s cottage pie
Ingredients:
For the stew:
- Three tablespoons of sunflower oil
- 1kg braising beef, diced
- 250g smoked streaky bacon, roughly chopped
- Two large onions, thinly sliced
- Three large garlic cloves, finely grated
- 500g chestnut mushrooms, halved
- Three tablespoons of tomato puree
- 55g plain flour
- 175ml red wine
- 450ml beef stock
- One to two teaspoons of redcurrant jelly
- Three bay leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the cauliflower and potato mash:
- 1kg floury potatoes, peeled and chopped into large cubes
- 350g cauliflower, broken into florets
- Three tablespoons of milk
- Knob of unsalted butter
- 100g mature Cheddar, grated
Method:
Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C Fan before heating the oil in a large flameproof casserole or ovenproof pan over high heat. Fry the beef in batches until browned and sealed. Transfer to a large dish.
Add the bacon and onions to the pan and fry for a few minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms and fry for a few more minutes. Stir in the tomato puree.
Measure the flour into a small bowl and gradually whisk in the wine. Pour the stock into the pan and add the redcurrant jelly. Stir over the heat until boiling, then add the wine and flour mixture, blending well.
Return the beef to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for one and a half to two hours, or until the beef is really tender.
Spoon the braised beef into a 1.75-litre ovenproof shallow dish. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a saucepan of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Add the cauliflower and boil for five to six minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.
Drain well, then return to the saucepan with the milk and butter. Mash and season well.
Spoon the mash on top of the beef and fork the top. Sprinkle with the cheddar.
Increase the oven temperature to 200°C/180°C Fan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbling. Serve hot with steamed vegetables.
Mary at 90: A Lifetime of Cooking continues on November 4 at 7:30pm on BBC Two.