When it comes to planning your dinners for the week, this one should be at the top of your list
This delicious recipe is from The Irish Beef Book which is celebrating ten years with a special reprint edition, with proceeds going to Cork Penny Dinners and The Capuchin Day Centre.
Serves 6
ADVERTISEMENT
Ingredients:
1kg minced beef
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or Irish rapeseed oil
20g dried porcini
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tablespoons plain flour
1 × 400g tin chopped tomatoes 150 ml red wine
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1kg floury potatoes, peeled
5 tablespoons milk
A knob of butter
75g Hegarty’s cheddar
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 160° C/fan 140° C/gas mark 3
- Soak the porcini in a bowl with 400 ml boiling water for 30 minutes, then drain, reserving the liquid, and chop the porcini. Heat the oil in a casserole dish, add the mince and fry in batches until well browned. Add the onion and garlic and fry for a few minutes. Sprinkle over the flour, stir for a minute, then add the chopped tomatoes, wine, mushrooms and reserved mushroom liquid. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, cover and cook in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the mince is tender.
- Remove from the oven and stir in the thyme and Worcestershire sauce. Taste to check the seasoning. Transfer the mince into a shallow pie dish and spread out evenly. Set aside to cool while you make the topping.
- Increase the oven temperature to 200° C/fan 180° C/gas mark 6.
- Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and return to the pan. Add the milk, butter, salt and pepper and mash until smooth. Spread the potatoes over the mince and make ridges on the top with the tines of a fork. Sprinkle with the cheese then place in the oven for 35–40 minutes, until bubbling and golden on top.
