Traditional English Cottage Pie With Cheese And Leek Topping - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Cottage Pie Filling
600 g lean ground beef or 600 g cooked beef, shredded
2 onions, peeled and diced
1 large carrots, peeled and finely diced or 1 large cooked carrot, diced
1 ounce butter or 1 ounce dripping
cooked peas (optional)
1 teaspoon dried herbs or 1 -2 tablespoon fresh mixed herbs, chopped
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
250 ml beef stock (OR 250 ml red wine mixed with 2 teaspoons sugar) (optional)
salt
pepper
Cottage Pie Topping
1 kg potato, peeled and cut into small even sized pieces
2 large leeks, cleaned and finely shredded or 2 large cooked leeks, sliced into rings
2 ounces butter
2 -4 tablespoons milk
4 ounces mature farmhouse cheddar cheese, grated
salt
pepper

Preparation

To make the pie filling:
Fry the onions and carrots if using, in the butter or beef dripping until they are soft.
Add the minced/chopped beef and cook for about 10 to 20 minutes or until the onion and carrot have browned and the minced beef has taken on some colour and is firm. (It also depends if you are using cooked or raw minced beef.).
Season well with salt and pepper, then add the mixed herbs. Stir in the flour, and mix well.
Mix the tomato puree and Worcestershire sauce with the stock and add it to the meat mixture, bringing it all to simmering point. Simmer until the stock has reduced by aboout a third, add the peas if using and take off the heat. Set aside whilst you make the topping.
To make the topping:
Boil the potatoes in slightly salted water then mash them well, adding half of the butter and all of the milk gradually. Season to taste.
If using fresh leeks, fry the leeks gently in the remaining butter, until soft and slightly coloured.
Stir the cooked leeks into the mashed potato mixture and give it all a good mix.
Assemble:
Put the meat mixture into a large and deep well greased baking dish and spread the potato mixture on top; then sprinkle with the grated cheese. You can also use 4 - 6 smaller pie dishes if you wish.
Put into a pre-heated oven, 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6 for about 25 to 30 minutes until the topping is crusty, golden and bubbling.
Serve with an assortment of fresh seasonal vegetables and a jug of gravy.