Cottage Pie: Making Something I’ve Never Tasted

Last month, I attempted to make some Shepherd’s Pie. But since I only had ground beef on hand (Shepherd’s Pie is with lamb), it turned into Cottage Pie. The only problem? I’d never eaten one before, so I didn’t quite know what it was supposed to taste like.

So why did I want to make it? To be honest, I’m not really sure. I think the image of cottage pie was floating around in my head (but maybe I half confused it with pot pie) and since I was watching a bunch of Great British Bake Off at the time, I wanted to make something British.

Anyway, I wanted some comforting mashed potatoes with some kind of meat and vegetables. Bring together miscellaneous contents in my fridge and pantry – voilà a Cottage Pie! I’m not going to leave you an exact recipe this time, but a list of ingredients. This is for two reasons, 1) I don’t remember exactly what I did anymore, and 2) You can adjust everything to your liking and put a myriad different ingredients inside!

I considered not posting this, but I figure it’s a good reminder that a sprinkle of inspiration and a bunch of random ingredients in the fridge/pantry can make for a yummy, filling meal.

For the Beef Mix:

• Ground Beef
• Chopped Onions, Carrots, Bell Peppers, Tomatoes
• Green Peas
• Worcestershire Sauce/Japanese Bull Dog Sauce
• Salt/pepper/soy sauce
• A bit of tomato paste
• A dash of chicken broth/stock
• A dash of curry powder

*Note: I think the sauce kind of makes or breaks it. I knew that Worcestershire Sauce is often listed in Shepherd’s Pie/Cottage Pie recipes. However, I’m not actually a big fan, so next time I might make a white sauce version. Or, I might skip the tomato paste, go light on the Worcestershire sauce and maybe add some garlic and more fresh tomatoes.

For the Mashed Potatoes:

• Russet Potatoes
• Butter/Milk
• Chopped Chives, Rosemary, Thyme
• Parmesan Cheese (to sprinkle on top)

Bake in the oven, and enjoy! It’s a great way to clear out your fridge, and it’s great for left overs 🙂