Best Cqs Royal Cottage Pie Recipes

COTTAGE PIE - PRINCE WILLIAM'S FAVORITE

Steps:

• To make beef base: In a large saucepan over a high flame, heat the oil and add the finely chopped onion. Sauté until the onion becomes soft and translucent. Add the ground beef and break it up using a wooden spoon. Sauté until the beef has lost all its pink color. Gradually stir in the flour, thyme, 2 cups water, Kitchen Bouquet seasoning, beef bouillon cubes and Worcestershire sauce.
• Reduce the heat to low and simmer the meat (so that it is just bubbling) for about 30 to 45 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the meat is fork tender. Remove the pan from the stove, and use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to the earthenware dish. The slotted spoon will lift just the beef so it will not be too wet to hold the potatoes.
• If there is any sauce left after taking out the meat, cool and refrigerate it. Then reheat it in a small saucepan to serve alongside the finished pie. This recipe can be prepared up to this stage several days before you plan to serve the dish. Cool both the meat and the liquid and store in the refrigerator.
• To make potato topping: Place the potatoes in a large pot and add cold water to about 1 inch above the potatoes. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender when pricked with a fork (about 20 minutes). Drain off the water and replace the drained potatoes in the pan over a low heat for 1 to 2 minutes to dry them thoroughly. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or pass through a ricer.
• Stir the nutmeg, cream and egg yolk with the butter, salt and pepper into the mashed potatoes. Then use the mashed potatoes to cover the top of the dish. Either pipe them, using a wide star tube, or spoon them on and then fluff up using a fork.
• Sprinkle the top of the potatoes with the grated Cheddar. It can be kept for 24 hours at this stage if covered with plastic wrap.
• Bake in a preheated oven (350°) for about 20 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are golden brown and the pie has heated through.

CLASSIC COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook lamb, carrots and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and vegetables are tender; drain. Stir in flour, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper until blended. Gradually add broth and wine; stir in tomato paste and brown sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 10-15 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in peas., Meanwhile, place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook 10-15 minutes or until tender., Preheat oven to 400°. Transfer meat mixture into a greased 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. Drain potatoes; mash with milk and butter. Stir in 1/2 cup cheese, salt and pepper. Spread over meat mixture; sprinkle with remaining cheese., Place pie plate on a foil-lined baking sheet (plate will be full). Bake 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

CQ'S ROYAL COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• For the topping, put the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the potatoes are tender and a fork inserted into the center meets little resistance, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Drain the potatoes and return them to the saucepan set over low heat. Mash the potatoes thoroughly with a potato masher. Fold in the butter until melted, then stir in the warm cream and cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover the pan and set aside.
• For the filling, season the beef with salt and pepper. Cook the beef in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet set over medium heat, breaking up any lumps with the back of a spoon, until it is browned thoroughly, about 10 minutes. Drain the beef, discarding all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered fat, and set aside.
• Heat the 1 tablespoon of reserved beef fat in the same skillet set over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, carrot, and salt, and cook until the vegetables are soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour is cooked, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in the broth, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium low, and cook until the sauce has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the reserved cooked beef, the corn, and peas, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the filling into a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish, smoothing it into an even layer. Dollop the potato topping evenly over the filling, then spread it into an even layer. Bake for 30 minutes or until warmed through.
• Adding warmed cream, versus cold, to the potatoes will keep them from becoming gummy. Sandy learned this great tip while working at Jeffrey's, a restaurant in Austin, and ever since, she's had a much improved relationship with mashed potatoes.