Cottage Pie

What's the difference between Cottage Pie and Shepherd's Pie? The former uses ground beef while the latter uses ground lamb. Otherwise, same thing. Meat, vegetables, gravy, mashed potatoes... ultimate comfort food!

This time around I made mine with half ground beef and half ground venison, because we love venison but I didn't have enough. Feel free to use all one kind of meat if you prefer, or make your own combination.

From there... beef broth, carrots, green beans, corn, onion, cheese, cream cheese, butter, potatoes, and seasonings. It looks a lot more complicated than it actually is, especially if you use all canned vegetables. I happened to have fresh carrots from something else, so I used those instead.

First step is to preheat the oven and coat a 9x13-inch glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Then brown the meats in a large skillet. You'll want to add some oil first, and make sure to break the meat apart so you don't get large chunks. I mix some seasoning into the meat while it's raw, to get a jump start on flavour. Drain off as much excess grease as you can, then spread the meat in the bottom of the prepared pan.

In the same skillet, heat some more oil, then add the carrots and onion and saute until tender, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and saute another couple of minutes, being careful not to burn it.

Add the broth, thyme, and bay leaves. Cover and simmer for anywhere between 30 and 45 minutes, until the carrots are tender, stirring occasionally. Then remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Combine some Worcestershire sauce and flour in a small cup or bowl, then stir into the pan. Continue simmering, uncovered, stirring fairly frequently, until thickened.

Returning to our pan with the meat spread over the bottom... Spread the drained corn and green beans over the meat. Then pour the carrot and gravy mixture over the vegetables and let it stand while you make mashed potatoes.

This picture was taken after the potatoes were already boiled and drained. I cut them into quarters unless they're huge or small, and leave the skins for added fiber.

Using a potato masher or large fork, smash the potatoes, then stir in milk, cream cheese, and butter until completely combined. Then stir in the cheddar cheese until fully melted and incorporated.

Spread the potatoes over top of the entire casserole, making sure to spread them all the way to the edges and seal in the vegetables. Bake for about 25 minutes or until heated through.

Drizzle some melted butter over the potatoes, then let the entire thing stand for a few minutes before serving.

I didn't let it stand quite long enough for the gravy to settle down, so I served it in bowls. Whatever... it was fabulous! It was even better the next day, and this also freezes pretty well. I will warn you, however, that the carrots get a little goofy after they're frozen and reheated. Still tasty, just their texture is off.

Cottage Pie

Serves 12

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground venison
2 teaspoons steak & burger seasoning (I used the grinder from Olde Thompson Inc.)
1 cup onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15 ounce) can whole corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) can cut green beans, drained
2 cups carrots, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 (14.5 ounce) cans beef broth
4 thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons flour
3 pounds red potatoes
1/2 cup fat-free milk
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces cream cheese
4 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400F; coat a 9x13-inch glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meats and break into small pieces. Stir in steak & burger seasoning and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 5-8 minutes. Remove meat from pan, drain, and spread in bottom of prepared baking dish. Spread corn and green beans over meat.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to pan. Add carrots and onion and saute over medium-low heat about 15 minutes, until tender. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes to soften. Then add beef broth, thyme, and bay leaves. Cover and simmer 30-45 minutes, until carrots are soft. Remove thyme and bay leaves.

Combine Worcestershire sauce and flour in a small cup, then add to pan. Continue cooking over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened. Pour gravy over vegetables in dish and spread evenly. Let stand to cool slightly.

Cut potatoes into evenly-sized chunks and place in a covered large pot of lightly salted water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook 15-20 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork. Drain and return to pan.

Using a potato masher or large fork, smash potatoes. Add milk, 6 tablespoons butter, and cream cheese and stir to completely combine. Stir in cheddar cheese. Spread potatoes evenly over top of casserole, making sure to seal the edges.

Bake at 400F for 25 minutes, until potatoes are golden on top. Drizzle 2 tablespoons melted butter over potatoes and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Per Serving:

Calories: 535

Total Fat: 18.8g

Saturated Fat: 8.1g

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 94mg

Sodium: 361mg

Total Carbohydrates: 63.2g

Dietary Fiber: 9.1g

Sugars: 10.8g

Protein: 34.4g