A tasty and warming ever popular classic dish which never fails to satisfy.
Ingredients:
• 850 g Potatoes, peeled and chopped into halves.
• 50g Butter, for mash.
• 50ml Whole milk.
• Butter for frying.
• 1 Medium Onion, finely chopped.
• 2 Sticks of Celery, finely chopped.
• 1 large Carrot, peeled and finely chopped.
• 2 Garlic cloves, crushed.
• 1KG Minced Beef.
• 2 Tblspn Tomato Puree.
• 2Tp of Worcester sauce
• 100ml Beef Stock (or Guinness for an Irish twist.)
• 200g Dubliner Cheddar cheese or another good red cheddar, grated.
• Salt and Pepper.
Method
Add the potatoes to a large pot. Cover with cold water and sprinkle in a good pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until soft through. (Check by piercing with a knife.) When ready, drain out the water and add the milk and butter and make a smooth mash with a potato masher or your preferred method.
In the meantime, add some butter to a good sized medium hot pan. Add the garlic, onion, celery and carrot to the pan in quick succession and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes or until starting to soften, stirring regularly.
Add the minced beef to the pan and brown, stirring and breaking up the meat.
Lower the heat and add the tomato puree, a good pinch of salt, pepper, worchester and stock or Guinness and allow to cook for another 10 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 180C. Transfer the meat mixture into a large ovenproof casserole dish or 5 to 6 smaller individual ones. Cover the meat with the mashed potato and make flick marks on the top using a fork. Sprinkle the cheese on top and cook in the oven for 15 minutes or until the top looks crispy and golden.
Serve immediately with a slice of buttered home-made brown bread and accept the praise graciously.