Cottage Pie

I love Kate McDermott's recipes. Easy, delicious, and soul warming. This recipe is from her best selling book "The Art of the Pie". Check out her website, enjoy the recipes, and buy her pie cookbooks!

 Serves 6-8
 
1.5 pounds ground beef
2 teaspoons thyme (dry is just fine---or 1 tablespoon fresh leaves)
1/4 teaspoon allspice
2 gratings nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon ground pepper
2 medium yellow onions, peeled and chopped small
5 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
2 large carrots, grated
2.5 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup stock (vegetable, beef, or chicken)
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut in quarters
1/3 cup butter
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper

1. Heat up a big frying pan over medium high heat and add the meat and seasonings and cook until the meat no longer looks pink. You can break it up a bit as you are cooking it.
2. Add the vegetables and cook for 5-7 minutes longer.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and stir and cook for a few minutes more.
4. Add the stock, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes.
5. In another pot, cover the potatoes with water, plus 1 teaspoon salt and boil until they are tender about 20 minutes. Drain well and put them back into the pot with the butter and 2/3 cup of the cheese, and thyme. Mash until smooth. Add salt and pepper to your taste.
6. Spoon the meat mixture into a deep-dish pie pan or a large baking dish. Cover with the potato mixture and sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup of cheese over the top. Bake for 30 minutes.

 
Alternatives:

• Replace the potatoes with lower carb substitutes like rutabaga, celery root (celeriac), or cauliflower. Cook as you do the potatoes.
• Replace the ground beef with ground pork, lamb, turkey or chicken.
• Herbs-rosemary, sage, or dill. Add to the cooked meat and taste. Add more if needed.
• Spices: instead of allspice and nutmeg try 1 tablespoon of one of these seasonings: curry powder, Southwest seasoning, Moroccan seasoning.