Chilli Con Cottage Pie {Can be made Vegetarian}
What do you get if you cross a chilli con carne with a cottage pie? This! It's simply a chilli con carne topped with herby mash, and it's just great. Served with a big dollop of sour cream it's especially good.
For a vegan version of this recipe, substitute the beef chilli con carne filling for three bean chilli and top with olive oil mash mixed with the fresh herbs.
Chilli Con Cottage Pie
Serves: 6-8
Time: 30 mins prep + 30 mins cooking
Cost: £1.33 per serving
Calories: 506 per serving
Ingredients:
For the herby mash topping:
1.5kg white potatoes
45g butter
75ml milk
1 tbsp fresh chopped coriander or chives
Salt and pepper to taste
For the chilli con carne filling:
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 large onion, chopped finely
1 large carrot, grated
500g extra lean mince beef
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp hot chilli powder
2 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 x 400g tins kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp of each: ground coriander, smoked paprika, dried oregano, ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 beef stock cube
Salt and pepper to taste
To serve:
Sour cream to serve (optional)
Green beans or other steamed vegetables
Method:
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.
First make the mashed potato topping. Peel and dice the potatoes into small pieces. Place in a pan of cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes until tender.
While the potatoes are cooking make the chilli con carne filling. Over a medium heat, heat the oil and fry the onion and carrot in a large pan for 4-5 minutes until soft. Add the mince and cook until brown all over and drain off any fat which comes out of the mince to be extra healthy.
Add all the remaining ingredients, give everything a good stir and season with salt and pepper. Taste and add more chilli if necessary. Bring to the boil and simmer gently while preparing the mashed potato topping.
When the potatoes have cooked, drain them and put them back in the pan with the butter, milk and coriander. Season to taste and mash until smooth. Add a splash more milk if the mash seems too stiff.
Finally build the pie by spooning the chilli con carne evenly into the bottom of a large ovenproof dish. Top with an even layer of the mash and run a fork over it. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until the top is crispy and the sauce bubbles around the edges of the dish.
