Irish Cottage Pie

Traditional cottage beef pie topped with Irish Colcannon (buttery mashed potatoes loaded with sauteed leeks, kale, and crispy bacon).

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 1 15

Total Time 1 40

Servings 6 servings

In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and carrot and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Stir in the tomato paste until the beef and vegetables are coated. Sprinkle the flour over top and stir to combine.
Add the broth, worcestershire, dijon, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until thickened to a gravy-like consistency. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool in the pan.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large pot, boil the potatoes until tender and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a separate skillet cook the diced bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan, leaving the rendered fat behind.
Add the leeks and kale (or cabbage) to the pan with the bacon fat and cook over medium-low heat until soft and tender.
Drain the potatoes and let them steam dry for 5 minutes. Mash them with ¼ cup butter, milk, and salt until smooth. Fold in the leek, kale, and chopped bacon.
Spread the mashed potatoes over the cooled beef mixture. Melt the remaining ¼ cup butter and brush it over top.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden on top and bubbling around the edges. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Substitutions:

Beef: Substitute lamb mince for ground beef to make this an Irish Shepherd's Pie.
Broth: You could use chicken or vegetable broth in place of beef or mushroom broth.
Cabbage: You could also use savoy or green cabbage instead of kale in the Colcannon topping.