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"The cheese in this crust and the lump of garlic butter that melts into the center make this into something very special." - Darina Allen author of "Forgotten Skills of Cooking," (Kyle Books, 2009) Daria has also reissued her cookbook "Irish Tradional Cooking"
Cottage Pie with Garlic Butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, mashed
- small onion, chopped
- 1 pound beef, freshly ground
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 cup dry white or red wine
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Roux (recipe follows)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
For the Topping
- 3 pounds baking potatoes, unpeeled
- 1 cup whole milk, boiling
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons Kerrygold Irish butter
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives (optional)
- 1/4 cup grated Dubliner cheese
- 1/4 cup grated Kerrygold Aged Cheddar
To Serve
Garlic Butter (recipe follows)
Green salad
Roux
"Roux can be stored in a cool place and used as required, or it can be made up on the spot if preferred to thicken up a sauce."
- 8 tablespoons Kerrygold Irish butter
- Scant cup all-purpose flour
Garlic Butter
"Slather over bruschetta or toast. Also great with grilled fish, meat, or vegetables."
- 8 tablespoons Kerrygold Irish butter
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- 3 to 5 cloves crushed garlic
- A few drops of freshly squeezed
- lemon juice
Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add garlic and onion and fry until soft and slightly brown. Increase heat, add ground beef and thyme and fry until beef changes color. Add wine, half the stock, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, boil the unpeeled potatoes, then peel them. Add boiling milk and mash potatoes while they are still hot. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper, and add butter and chives, if using.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bring the rest of the stock to a boil and thicken it well with roux. Stir it into beef - it should be thick but still juicy. Taste and correct seasoning.
Put meat mixture into one large or six individual pie dishes. Pipe or spread mashed potato mixture over the top. Sprinkle with grated cheeses. Bake for 30 minutes, until top is golden and slightly crispy. Serve with garlic butter and a green salad.
Roux
Melt butter in a pan and cook flour in it for 2 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally. It will keep for two weeks in the refrigerator.
Garlic Butter
Whip butter, then add in parsley, garlic and a few drops of lemon juice at a time. Roll into butter pats or form into a roll and wrap in parchment paper or foil, twisting each end. Refrigerate to harden.
Recipe Courtesy of Kerrygold/Irish Dairy Board