Instant Pot Cottage Pie Filling

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 750g beef mince
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery sticks, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 300ml hot beef stock (1 stock cube)
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
• 2 bay leaves
• 100g frozen peas
• For the topping: 1kg floury potatoes, peeled and chopped
• For the topping: 50g butter
• For the topping: 75ml whole milk
• For the topping: 50g mature Cheddar, grated
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

1. Select Sauté and heat the oil. Brown the mince in 2 batches for 5 to 6 minutes per batch, breaking it up, then spoon off any excess fat.

2. Return all the mince to the pot. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 4 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato purée and flour and cook for 1 minute.

3. Pour in the stock and scrape up any stuck-on bits from the base of the inner pot; this prevents a Burn notice. Add the Worcestershire sauce, mixed herbs and bay leaves and stir.

4. Lock the lid, set the steam release valve to Sealing and select Pressure Cook (High) for 10 minutes.

5. When the time is up, leave the pot to release pressure naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully turn the valve to Venting to release any remaining steam.

6. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in salted water for 15 to 20 minutes until tender. Drain, steam dry, then mash with the butter and milk and season well.

7. Remove the bay leaves. Select Sauté, stir in the peas and simmer for 5 minutes until the filling is thick. Season to taste.

8. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Spoon the filling into a 2 litre ovenproof dish, top with the mash, rough up the surface with a fork and scatter over the Cheddar.

9. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and bubbling. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.