Ox cheek cottage pie with buttery mash topping
Add depth of flavour and chunky texture to classic cottage pie by using ox cheek – this makes it worthy of a special occasion.
SERVES 4 PREP 30 mins COOK 4 hrs EASY ❄
1 ox cheek, cut into chunks
2 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
2 carrots, roughly chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely grated
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp tomato purée
125ml red wine
500ml beef stock
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
cooked greens, to serve
For the mash topping
1kg potatoes, chopped
75ml whole milk
50g butter
freshly grated nutmeg
150g cheddar, grated
1 Pat the ox cheek dry with a clean tea towel or kitchen paper, then season well. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and brown the ox cheek all over, around 6-8 mins. Remove from the pan, leaving any oil behind.
Drizzle the remaining oil into the pan and turn the heat down to medium-low. Tip the carrots, onion and celery into the pan, stir and cook for 10-12 mins until softened but not golden. Stir in the garlic, cook for 1 min, then tip in the flour and tomato purée and cook
