Sometimes, comfort food is all you need, but comfort food (as a rule) can be naughty, containing large quantities of sinful carbs.
One of my favourite childhood foods is the humble Cottage Pie. It always seems to have the magical power of putting a smile on my face; the equivalent of a food cuddle. In my view it’s one to always have as part of your repertoire for when that special someone needs a big familiar foodie snuggle!
Cottage pie, generally can be a bit stodgy; it’s all that fluffy mash! I must confess, sometimes, you can OD on the mash and enter into a bit of a carb coma. (Perhaps that’s just in my household!)
Well not anymore!!! With a few simple tweaks you can make the glorious cottage pie, saintlier than saintly.
Here is my ultimate paleo version!
Paleo Cottage Pie
You will need
- Grass-Fed, Organic Minced Beef 500g
- Beef Stock
- 1 x White Onion
- 2 x Carrot
- 1 x Large Cauliflower
- Organic Butter
- 2 x Globe Squash
(Please note, you can add squash, broccoli or other vegetables of your choice to the cauliflower mash. You can choose white cauliflower if you want it to emulate potato mash perfectly, but, if you don’t mind green or purple food- there are some really beautiful strains of cauliflowers out there. Just check out Millies, the Local Pantry or Fodder.)
Method
- In a casserole pan, fry your onions in a knob of butter for 5 minutes. Peel your carrots and dice into small centimetre squared chunks. Now add the mince and brown.
- Cut the cauliflower & squash into small chunks (and any other veg you are using.) Boil in a pan for around 15 minutes.
- Add the stock to the mince and a glass of water. Simmer until the consistency is neither runny nor dry and then take from the heat.
- Heat your oven to around 175 degrees.
- Once the cauliflower is ready, whisk the vegetables together using a hand whisk. Add a knob or two of butter.
- Add the mince mixture into a baking dish and then cover with the cauliflower mash.
- Run over the top with a fork.
- Add a few more knobs of butter to the top of the veg (it will make your mash go extra golden brown in places; not to mention the taste.)
- Bake for around 20 minutes until golden brown.
- Serve by itself, or with some mixed greens.
Enjoy!!