Perfect Cottage Pie

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a deep casserole dish or large Dutch oven. Add the onions and cook for 8 – 10 minutes until soft and transparent, but not browned. Add the carrots and rutabaga (or swede) and cook for another 8 – 10 minutes until softened. Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside.

2. Turn the heat up to high and cook the minced beef in batches until browned. I use two forks to separate the meat. Add plenty of salt and pepper, along with the vegetables you cooked earlier and all of the other seasonings: cinnamon, thyme, parsley, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste.

3. Sprinkle in the flour. This will help thicken the sauce as it cooks. Slowly pour in the beef stock and mix well until combined. Turn the heat down to medium low, cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook for 15 – 20 minutes until the sauce is nicely thickened and the consistency you prefer.

4. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF and start preparing the potatoes. Peel and chop them into even pieces and place them in large saucepan filled with cold water. Bring the potatoes to the boil, sprinkle with salt and cook for 20 – 25 minutes until fork tender.

5. Meanwhile, prepare the leeks while the sauce and potatoes cook. Cut away the dark green top and make vertical incisions in the leek. Rinse thoroughly with water to remove any dirt then pat dry and chop finely. Heat a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat and melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the leeks to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes until softened.

6. When the potatoes are tender, drain away the water and allow them to sit under a clean cloth for about 5 minutes. This will remove excess moisture. Add the remaining butter, sour cream, salt and pepper and mash to a very smooth consistency, then stir in the cooked leeks. I use my KitchenAid stand mixer with the paddle attachment, but you can definitely use a handheld mixer.

7. Taste the finished beef filling and mashed potato topping and add more seasoning if needed.

8. Fill your baking dishes ⅔ full with the meat filling then top evenly with the mashed potatoes. Top with the grated cheddar and bake for 25 – 30 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the top is golden brown.