COTTAGE PIE

This is classic British nursery food. Princes William and Harry demanded it at least once a week. Freshly ground beef in a rich brown sauce is topped with lightly whipped mashed potatoes flavored with nutmeg and melted cheese.

Beef base

2 tablespoons corn oil

2 small yellow onions, finely chopped

1½ pounds ground beef

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

1 to 2 teaspoons dried thyme

2½ cups water

1 tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet browning and seasoning sauce

2 beef bouillon cubes

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Potato topping

2½ pounds red potatoes (about 8 medium)

½ stick (¼ cup) unsalted butter 2 teaspoons salt

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg

¼ cup heavy cream

1 egg yolk

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. For the beef base, heat the oil in a large saucepan over a high flame until warm, and add the finely chopped onion. Sauté until the onion becomes soft and translucent. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and sauté until the beef has lost all its pink color. Gradually stir in the flour, thyme, water, Kitchen Bouquet, bouillon cubes, and Worcestershire sauce.

3. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the meat for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and the meat is tender. Remove the pan from the stove and using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a 3-quart ovenproof casserole dish. If there is any sauce left after taking out the meat, cool and refrigerate it. This juice can be reheated and served alongside the finished pie, if you like. The beef base can be prepared up to this point several days in advance and refrigerated.

4. For the potato topping, place the potatoes in a large pot, and add cold water an inch above the potatoes. Cover the pot and bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer, and cook until the potatoes are tender when pricked with a fork, about 20 minutes. Drain off the water and return the drained potatoes to the pan over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes to dry them thoroughly. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher, or pass them through a ricer.

Cottage Pie (front), Queen of Puddings

5. Stir the nutmeg, cream, egg yolk, butter, salt, and pepper into the mashed potatoes. Either pipe the mashed potatoes on top of the beef using a wide star tube, or spoon the potatoes on top and fluff them up using a fork.

6. Sprinkle the grated cheddar over the potatoes, and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown and the pie has heated through. If you don’t want to cook the cottage pie right away, it can be made a day ahead, covered with plastic wrap, and refrigerated.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS