Comfort Food part 2

The weather improved yesterday morning, but by evening the rain was back and it was getting cold!! Luckily we had some of the Vegan Sausages I had made, so I decided on more rich yummy food. In a word, Cottage Pie.

I kept it simple, but this was a HUGE hit with both Hubby and Child, so it’s a recipe I'm going to use again.

Oh, one thing about me, I tend to be a wing it kind of cook, so I only really pay a lot of attention to exact measurements when I’m baking, in most other cases it’s more a best guess.

Cottage Pie

Glug Olive Oil
1 onion, diced
2 sticks celery sliced
2 large carrots, sliced fairly thick
250g white mushrooms
4 Vegan Sausages
About a glass of red wine
1 cup Ina Paarmans Chicken Stock (Vegan)
1 Tbs Bisto (Veggie, not sure about Vegan)
11/2 Tbs Cornflour (I started with a tablespoon but added more, the sauce needs to be fairly thick)
About 1 kg Potatoes          
¼ Cabbage chopped
Olive oil/butter and Milk for mashing
1) Heat olive oil, add onions carrots and celery and fry on a low heat for a few minutes. Add mushrooms, fry for about 5 mins. Add Turn up the heat, add the red wine and the stock and reduce for a minute or 2. Add chopped Vegan Sausages

2) Mix cornflour and Bisto with 100ml (more or less) cold water. Add to the pot and stir until its boiling again. You want the sauce to be thick and almost lush, so if you need add some more cornflour mixed with water.
Turn into a baking dish. I like to use a lasagne style dish because I love this with LOADS of mash on top

3) Boil potatoes until, soft, about 5 minutes before they are ready throw in the cabbage. Drain then mash with Olive oil/Butter and milk. Pile on top of the Sausage mix and make at 180c for about 30 -45 mins, until the top starts to brown. Feel free to cheat, I got hungry and stuck mine under the grill for a few minutes to speed things up

 The Sausage mix before adding the mash

I like my mash quite robust and chunky, so I tend to use smaller potatoes and leave the skins on. Also the cabbage does stop you from getting smooth mash, but it does add a nice flavour to the topping. However, feel free to do your mash as you wish...I’m not the type to get precious about someone adapting my recipes

You have no idea how difficult it is to get a
decent picture of Cottage Pie.....