Cottage pie is such a traditionally English thing I can’t imagine there are many people who grew up here who haven’t eaten it. We had it regularly at home, sometimes it was shepherd’s pie made with left over roast lamb minced, sometimes it was cottage pie from left over roast beef minced… I don’t remember my mum ever buying minced meat…. but that is how we make it now…. when I say we, I actually mean my husband makes it, I very rarely do as it’s his speciality.
If I were making it, using minced meat, I would finely chop onions and fry them in a little oil, add the meat and brown it, add plenty of seasoning, maybe even an OXO cube, add any left over vegetables I have, carrot, swede, peas… even baked beans, make sure there is enough sauce by adding stock – or left over gravy, cook it for a nice long time until the meat is really tender, put into a casserole, top with buttery mashed potato, sprinkle with nutmeg and cook in the oven for thirty or forty minutes… easy!
But… just watch these guys… this is cottage pie and some!
Lois Elsden 
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