Good ole' Cottage Pie!

Yep, you can't beat a cottage pie for that homely feeling of comfort and nostalgia!  Just dig in a big spoon and serve yourself a generous portion, pile your plate up with lovely veg and maybe a drizzle of rich gravy on the top ... instant childhood memories!  * (see anecdote below)

So, why "cottage pie" and not "shepherd's pie", you may be asking.  Well, any shepherd worth his crook would immediately deduce that this particular pie was made with minced beef, not lamb ... so I guess it could have been named "herder's pie", or something, but cottage pie it is!

Personally, I like to add a few flavourings to the mince as I'm cooking it (black pepper, mixed herbs, tinned tomatoes/tomato puree, Lea & Perrin's Worcestershire Sauce, etc) as well as some beef stock, but that's down to individual taste.  Otherwise, just boil some potatoes, mash them as you like them (I used a knob of butter, a spoonful of soured cream and some black pepper), then carefully put on top of the mince mixture in an ovenproof dish.  Swirl the mash in a fancy pattern on the top, then add a little grated cheese if you wish; pop in a med/hot oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned.

Incidentally, provided you have cooked the meat from raw, this dish freezes and re-heats very well - either whole or in portions for a quick microwaveable, homemade meal.

V  Lovely as a "farmer's pie", "gardener's pie" or "greengrocer's pie" ... or whatever you want to call a vegetarian version, the options are only limited by your own imagination and taste buds.  Try using TVP or Quorn mince for a similar end result to the carnivore's classic, or experiment with a selection of seasonal vegetables and pulses to make a really interesting and tasty alternative.  Baked beans, in particular, make an excellent ingredient in a potato-topped pie.

* Not only childhood memories, but some adult ones too ... I hope my son doesn't mind me sharing this sweet and funny little anecdote with the world!  About 10 years ago, when he was still living at home, Pete came home from a late shift at work and I served him up a lovely, comforting portion of homemade cottage pie.  We sat chatting at the kitchen table as he tucked in heartily and - for some reason that I can't remember - the conversation turned to people's widely varying levels of appreciation, regarding standards of cooking, presentation and quality of ingredients, etc.  With a straight face, he quite innocently said: "For example, some people would think this [the cottage pie he was eating] was really nice"!!

Although I absolutely understood the point he was making (that to some people, these days, a homemade cottage pie would be a treat) it almost sounded like an insult.  I just looked at him, wide-eyed, at the same moment as he realised what he had said.  Fortunately, we share exactly the same sense of humour and thus began one of our many side-splitting, tear-rolling, raucous bouts of shared laughter ... how he didn't choke on his cottage pie, I'll never know!

Even now, a plateful of cottage pie (or any other "homely" dish) will illicit the phrase: "Some people ..."!!