Beef, Leek and Swede Cumberland Pie

• leeks3

  white part diced, green sliced, keep separate

• carrot↗1

  finely chopped

• celery↗2

  stalks, finely chopped

• butter↗1 tbsp tbsp
• rapeseed oil↗1 tbsp tbsp

  or vegetable oil

• beef mince↗1kg kg

  (a little fat adds flavor and makes it tender, so better 10% fat, not too lean)

• uncured bacon lardons↗200g g
• plain flour↗3 tbsp tbsp
• thyme sprigs↗5
• Worcestershire sauce↗2 tbsp tbsp
• Marmite1 tbsp tbsp
• beef stock↗1.2l l
• swede↗1kg kg

  (about 2 large), peeled and cut into large pieces

• potatoes↗350g g

  cut into large pieces

• butter↗25g g

  plus a few pieces

• молоко↗100ml
• трохи свіжо натертого мускатного горіха
• достиглий чеддер↗25g

  тертий

• свіжі панірувальні крихти↗25g

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C/160 °C with convection/gas 4. Place the white parts of the leeks, carrots and celery into a fire‑proof pot together with butter, oil and a pinch of salt and simmer, without browning, over low heat.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, brown the mince in a non‑stick skillet. Cook in batches so it stays browned and does not become gray and soggy. If you used lean mince, you may need to add a drop of oil. Break up the mince with a wooden spoon while cooking.

3. 3

   When the vegetables are soft, add the bacon lardons, increase the heat slightly and cook until everything turns golden. Add the mince, then the flour, 3 sprigs of thyme, Worcestershire sauce and Marmite. Gradually pour in the broth, bring to a gentle boil, then cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 hours until the sauce thickens and becomes rich and the beef is tender; halfway through remove the lid and add the green parts of the leeks.

4. 4

   While the beef bakes, place the swede and potatoes in two separate pots. Cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat until tender – about 20 minutes. Drain well, then return them to the pots and dry over low heat for a few minutes. When both (especially the swede) look dry, mash them together in one pot with butter, milk, nutmeg and generous seasoning until smooth.

5. 5

   Transfer the mince to individual molds or one large baking dish (or leave in the pot if you prefer, discarding the thyme sprigs). Cover it with the puree, using a fork to fluff the top. Mix cheddar with the breadcrumb topping, the leaves of the remaining thyme sprigs and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle this mixture over the puree, place a few small pieces of butter, then raise the temperature to 200 °C/180 °C with convection/gas 6 and bake for 30 minutes until the top is golden and crisp. It can be prepared in advance and cooled, or frozen and thawed. Then bake an additional 10‑15 minutes until the sauce bubbles.