cottage pie

A handful of skill is better than a bagful of gold. - Irish Saying

My brother and I are at least 3/8 Irish, and that's something we've always been proud of. I like to think it makes us a little bit lucky. I know I'm definitely lucky to have my brother, because he's about the best lil bro anyone could ask for (awwww).

He's pretty handy to have around, too. Yesterday he treated me to homemade cottage pie for dinner – his special recipe. This dish is commonly referred to as shepherd's pie here in the States, but this summer when I spent a month in Ireland I learned that technically, shepherd's pie is made with lamb, while the same dish made with another kind of meat (typically beef) is called cottage pie.

Cottage Pie

1 lb ground beef

1/2 large onion, diced

4 T Worcestershire sauce

1/4 C ketchup

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp thyme

3/4 tsp basil

5-6 russet potatoes, quartered

1/2 C heavy cream

3 T butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 C sharp cheddar, grated

Bring a pot of water to boil; add potatoes and cook until easily pierced with a fork. Season beef with salt and pepper and brown together with onion. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, ketchup and herbs. Add wine and simmer until reduced. Mash potatoes together with butter, cream and garlic.

Pour the beef mixture into the bottom of a 9x9 in. casserole dish. Spread mashed potatoes over beef, and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes, then broil for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese is brown and bubbling.

Enjoy with a glass of red wine or a Guinness! (You can never go wrong with that.)