Cottage Pie with Mushrooms and Peppers

A bargain tray of ground (minced) beef, 5 per cent fat, encouraged me first to make a beef chilli, and then to make a slightly spicy cottage pie.

The beef was browned for about twenty minutes, with a little sunflower oil, together with white onions. During the last five minutes of this period, I added sliced chestnut mushrooms, and deseeded red and green chillies. After that I added some beef stock, a bay leaf, and some Bisto browning (cornflour), in order to thicken the gravy. That was served with basmati rice.

For the cottage pie, made subsequently, preheat the oven while the semiskinned potatoes are boiling (to 180 deg C or thereabouts). Mash the potatoes in a glass bowl. Add two dessert spoonfuls of Greek style yoghurt and blend together. Add a little white pepper. Spoon the mash over the ground beef base, and texture with a fork.

Cook for an hour at least in the middle of the oven, checking during the last half hour that the potato topping is not overbrowning.

Pork Joint with Sage and Onion Stuffing

I found a cheap joint of pork with sage and onion stuffing in the supermarket (Sainsbury's) post Christmas. Cooked in the oven for two hours at around 190 deg C.

The joint was cut into slices with an electric knife. Not an essential tool, but it is so much easier.

The gravy was made with Bisto onion gravy granules, dried sage leaves, pork stock, and vegetable stock. The onion granules thicken the gravy.

The Brussels sprouts were cooked for nine minutes in boiling water under glass. Delicious!