Elevated Cottage Pie

Ingredients

• 5 lb beef chuck (Cut into 2-inch pieces)
• 8 tbsp butter (4 tablespoons for searing and 4 tablespoons for the flour paste)
• 5 tbsp olive oil (2 tablespoons for searing and 3 tablespoons for the filling vegetables)
• 6 carrots (3 roughly chopped for braising; 3 diced for the filling)
• 9 stalks celery (4 roughly chopped for braising; 5 diced for the filling)
• 0.5 red onion (Roughly chopped)
• 1 bottle dry red wine (One standard 750-ml bottle)
• 3 cups beef broth (Use enough reserved braising liquid as needed for the filling)
• 2 heads garlic (Halved crosswise for braising)
• 1 bunch fresh rosemary and thyme (For braising; the source does not specify the split between rosemary and thyme)
• 1 large yellow onion (Diced for the filling)
• 10 cloves garlic (Minced for the filling)
• 3.5 tbsp tomato paste (Use 3 to 4 tablespoons)
• 4 tbsp all-purpose flour (For the butter-flour paste)
• 8 lb russet potatoes (Peeled)
• 2 cups whole milk (Fold into the hot potatoes)
• 1 cup Gruyère cheese (½ cup folded into the potatoes; sprinkle the remaining ½ cup on top)
• 0.5 cup Parmesan cheese (Sprinkle over the assembled pie)
• salt (Season the beef, potato cooking water, filling, and mashed potatoes to taste)
• black pepper (Season the beef generously and adjust the filling to taste)
• fresh chives (Optional, for finishing)

Steps

1. 1

   Season the beef chuck generously with salt and black pepper. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the butter is melted and the oil shimmers.

2. 2

   Working in batches so the pot is not crowded, sear the beef on all sides until deeply browned. Transfer each browned batch to a plate; the fond left in the pot will flavor the braise.

3. 3

   Add the roughly chopped carrots, celery, and red onion to the Dutch oven. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring and scraping up browned bits, until the vegetables begin to soften.

4. 4

   Return the seared beef to the pot. Add the red wine, beef broth, halved garlic heads, rosemary, and thyme.

5. 5

   Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, then cover the Dutch oven and transfer it to a 325°F oven. Braise for about 3 hours, until the beef is completely fork-tender and pulls apart easily.

6. 6

   While the beef braises, place the peeled potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold salted water, and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are fully tender when pierced with a knife.

7. 7

   Drain the potatoes and let them steam dry for 5 minutes. Rice or mash them while they are still hot.

8. 8

   Add the milk and 6 tablespoons butter to the hot potatoes. Fold or mash until creamy, but keep the mixture thick enough to hold its shape. Fold in ½ cup of the Gruyère and season with salt to taste.

9. 9

   For the filling, heat the 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced yellow onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté until completely softened.

10. 10

    Add the minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly.

11. 11

    Remove the braised beef from its liquid and shred it with two forks. Strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh strainer, reserving the liquid and discarding the spent braising vegetables and herbs.

12. 12

    Add the shredded beef to the softened filling vegetables. Gradually pour in enough reserved braising liquid to create a rich, moist mixture; do not add it all automatically if the filling is already sufficiently saucy.

13. 13

    Simmer the beef and vegetable mixture until the liquid is slightly reduced and concentrated. Taste and adjust the salt.

14. 14

    Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, then mash it together with the flour into a smooth paste. Stir this paste into the beef mixture and cook until the sauce thickly coats the shredded meat.

15. 15

    Preheat the oven to 400°F. Transfer the beef filling to a large baking dish and spread it into an even layer.

16. 16

    Pipe or carefully spread the mashed potatoes over the beef filling, covering it completely. Sprinkle the remaining Gruyère and the Parmesan evenly over the potatoes.

17. 17

    Bake at 400°F for about 30 minutes, until the filling is bubbling around the edges and the potato topping is golden. If deeper color is desired, broil for 1–3 minutes, watching closely so the cheese and potatoes do not burn.

18. 18

    Rest the cottage pie for 10–15 minutes before serving so the filling can set slightly. Finish with fresh chives, if desired.

Notes

The source skips step number 7. Because this is a very large batch, use a baking dish or dishes large enough to hold all the filling and topping. Reserve braising liquid and add it gradually; the filling should be moist and rich, not soupy. Alcohol in the wine will largely cook off during the long braise.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• comfort food
• British-inspired
• braised
• baked
• family dinner
• make-ahead
• holiday