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James Kavanagh and William Murray’s Currabinny cottage pie

James Kavanagh and William Murray’s Currabinny Cottage Pies. Photograph: Bríd O'Donovan

James Kavanagh and William Murray
Tue Nov 15 2022 - 05:30
Serves: 6
Course: Dinner
Ingredients
  • For the mince:
  • 2 small onions, finely diced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 sticks of celery, finely diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely diced
  • 400g beef mince
  • 50g chorizo, finely chopped
  • 50ml of red wine
  • 5 sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp of tomato purée
  • 1 tsp mixed dried herbs
  • 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 200ml of beef stock
  • 1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • Rapeseed or extra virgin olive oil
  • For the topping:
  • 4 or 5 medium potatoes, such as Roosters
  • 100g butter
  • 2 leeks, cleaned well and green ends removed
  • 200g curly kale, stalks removed
  • 250ml full-fat milk
  • 175ml cream
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • Handful of chopped parsley
  • Small handful of chopped chives
  • 2 spring onions, sliced thinly
  • 80g Cais na Tire, or other hard cheese, grated

1. In a large casserole dish (Dutch oven) heat the oil over medium/high heat and add the onions, garlic and celery, seasoning lightly with sea salt. Move around the pan, until the onion starts to soften a little and become translucent.

2. Add the carrot and chorizo and continue cooking for another 10 minutes or so, turning the heat down to medium if you need. Add the mince, sun-dried tomatoes and a good pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Move the mince around the casserole dish, breaking it up with the wooden spoon and letting it brown for around five to six minutes before adding the tomato purée, red wine and mixed herbs. Cook for a further five minutes and add the tinned tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce and beef stock.

3. Season lightly and turn the heat down low, letting it simmer gently, uncovered for 40 minutes to an hour, stirring from time to time. The final consistency should be a nice thick sauce, not too liquidy, and rich in colour and flavour.

4. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius. Peel the potatoes and cook in a large pot of water for 30 to 40 minutes until cooked through. Remove and drain.

5. In a large saucepan heat the butter and add the leeks, and cook them for around 10 minutes until softened. Add the curly kale and cook until wilted. Pour in the milk and cream and bring to a simmer. Add the cooked potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Mash with a potato masher until smooth. Stir through an extra knob of butter for good measure with the herbs and spring onion.

6. Spoon the mince into a medium sized casserole dish and then top with the colcannon. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top and place in the oven for around 30 minutes.

7. Take out of the oven when the potato is nice and golden on top and the mince is bubbling up the sides.

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