Page title and description

Meat mains
Venison cottage pie
Ingredients
- 800g potatoes, peeled and cut in 2cm dice
- 400g celeriac, peeled and cut in 2cm dice
- butter
- milk or cream
- oil for frying, e.g. sunflower or light olive
- 700g venison mince
- 2 streaky bacon rashers, finely chopped
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into small dice
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 4 mushrooms, chopped into small pieces
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 100ml red wine
- splash Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp dried thyme or 2 sprigs fresh (leaves only)
- 200ml beef stock or water
- 1 heaped tsp cornflour
- salt and pepper
Method
Prep time:
20 min
PT20M
Cooking time:
1h
10 min
PT1H10M
-
Step 1
Boil potatoes and celeriac in salted water for about 10 minutes until tender. Drain and mash with a good knob of butter, a splash of milk or cream and season well with salt and pepper. -
Step 2
While the potatoes are cooking, preheat oven to 200°C/Gas 6. -
Step 3
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a non-stick frying pan. Brown the mince, breaking up any larger bits with your spoon. Tip onto a plate. -
Step 4
Add the bacon, onion and carrot to the same pan, with a splash more oil if needed. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is soft. -
Step 5
Add the garlic, mushrooms and tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes. Put the mince back in the pan, add the wine and cook for 1 minute. -
Step 6
Add the Worcestershire sauce, thyme and stock or water. Season. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. -
Step 7
Mix the cornflour in a small bowl with a splash of cold water. Stir together to make a paste. Stir into the mince and cook for another 5 minutes or so to thicken slightly. Taste and check the seasoning. -
Step 8
Spoon into an ovenproof dish. Spoon the mash over the top of the mince, making sure all the meat is covered. Spike it up a little with a fork to help it crisp up. -
Step 9
Bake for 20-30 minutes, depending on your oven, until golden and crisp.