Veggie Cottage Pie Recipes

VEGETABLE AND LENTIL COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, non-stick saute pan. Add the onions and garlic and fry for 8-10 minutes over a medium-high heat or until starting to turn golden, stirring occasionally. Pour the remaining tablespoon of oil into the pan, tip in the carrots and swede, and fry for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the lentils, tomatoes, sun-dried tomato paste, and stock. Season and simmer, covered, for 35-40 minutes over a low heat, until the carrots and swede are tender and the lentils have softened. Remove from the heat, stir in the spinach, and let it wilt. Check the sauce's consistency (see below, Moist, juicy filling). Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Leave to cool. Preheat the oven to 200oC (fan 180oC/400oF/Gas 6). Put the potatoes into a large pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, add salt, and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Put the butter and milk in the pan and warm through over a low heat. Remove from the heat, return the potatoes to the pan, and mash with the milk and butter, then whisk until smooth (see below, Smooth, creamy mash). Season, then stir in the cheese. Spread the mash over the filling (see below, Decorative topping). Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden and bubbling. KEYS TO PERFECTION Moist, juicy filling The filling should be moist with plenty of sauce, but not sloppy. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water if it's too dry. Leave the filling to cool before adding the topping, as it will support the mash better. Smooth, creamy mash The potatoes are ready for mashing when a knife goes in easily. If undercooked, the mash will be lumpy; if overcooked, it will be sloppy. Mash the potatoes with hot milk and butter off the heat, then whisk with a balloon whisk. Decorative topping Spoon the cheesy, seasoned mash over the cooled vegetable and lentil layer. Spread it evenly over the surface, making patterns like furrows with a round-bladed knife to create an attractive, textured effect. Mary Berry Cooks the Perfect is available in paperback with an exclusive tote bag from 3 November. DK, £20.00.

VEGETARIAN COTTAGE PIE RECIPE BY JAMIE OLIVER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5. In a blender, cover the porcini with 600ml of boiling water. Trim, wash and slice the leeks 2cm thick, then scrub the carrots, swede and celeriac and chop to roughly the same size. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil into a large casserole pan on a medium heat, strip in the rosemary, fry for 1 minute to crisp up, then remove to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add the cumin seeds and prepped veg to the flavoured oil, season with sea salt and black pepper, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring regularly.
• Meanwhile, peel and roughly chop the potatoes, cook in a pan of boiling salted water for 15 minutes, or until tender, then drain well. Mash with the butter and milk, and season to taste. Quarter the onion, add to the porcini in the blender along with the Marmite and tomato purée and whiz until smooth. Pour into the veg pan and cook for 20 minutes, or until dark and caramelised, stirring regularly and scraping up any sticky bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Tip the lentils (juices and all) into the veg pan, bring to the boil, then season to taste. Spoon over the mash, place on a tray, bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly golden and bubbling at the edges, then sprinkle over the crispy rosemary.
• Serve with simple steamed seasonal greens - it's a winner!

COTTAGE PIE WITH VEGETABLE MASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a pot of salted water bring potatoes, carrots, and 3 cloves garlic to a boil. Reduce to a rapid simmer; cook until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and return to pot. Using a masher, mash vegetables until mostly smooth; stir in 3 tablespoons butter. Season with salt and pepper. Finely chop remaining 2 cloves garlic; set aside.
• In a large skillet over high, melt remaining tablespoon butter. Add beef and brown, about 5 minutes. Remove meat from pan, leaving drippings. Reduce heat to medium-high, add onion, and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes. Add chopped garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Return meat and collected juices to pan and stir in tomato paste. Cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer meat mixture to a 9-inch square baking dish. Dollop mashed vegetables over meat and spread to edges of baking dish. Bake until juices are bubbling and topping is golden brown in spots, about 20 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

ITALIAN VEGGIE COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large, lidded frying pan or flameproof casserole dish. Cook the aubergine, in two batches, over a high heat for 4-5 mins until golden, adding extra oil as you need to. Return all the aubergine to the pan with the garlic, tomatoes and 1 1/2 tsp oregano and cook for 1 min. Stir in the spinach, put the lid on the pan and leave for a few mins to wilt.
• Add the flour and stir through until combined. Pour in the milk, stir gently and bring to the boil. Bubble for a few mins, then stir in the cheese and season. Cook until the cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened.
• Mix the mash with the remaining oregano and spread over the filling. Scatter over a little more grated cheese and bake for 10-15 mins until golden.

VEGGIE COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Peel the potato and cut into squares whilst a pan of water is boiling. When the water is boiled, add the potatoes. Simmer until they are soft enough to mash.
• Whilst waiting for the potatoes, fry together the onion, pepper, courgette, mushroom and carrot. When they are soft add the tomato sauce, the veg stock cube and the beans and simmer for 20 mins.
• When the potatoes are finished, drain them and place back into the empty pan. Add the milk and butter and mash until no lumps.
• In a rectangular dish, add the veg and beans and then top with mash. Mark the top of the mash with the back of your fork. Place under a grill until the mash is browned on top.