Wednesday's Dinner: Moroccan Inspired Cottage Pie

I decided to spice up a traditional cottage pie with fiery Harissa paste and a sweet potato topping.  To keep my food healthy, I cook with British Rapeseed oil and a smaller portion of lean ground British beef that I added chickpeas and vegetables to.  I made a small, individual sized portion for my toddler...which he ate, while telling me he didn't like it.....:)

Moroccan Cottage Pie

Toddler version

The recipe with toddler modification

(serves 4 adults)

Ingredients:

250 g of lean or extra lean ground beef
1 can of chick peas drained and washed
2 good sized sweet potatoes
1 large onion finely chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced + an equivalent amount of pulped ginger
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
1-2 tablespoons of Harissa paste
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 generous handful of coriander chopped
1/4 cup of water
Salt to taste
Juice of 1/2 a lemon, reserve the half of the lemon
Rapeseed oil or Olive oil
Small knob of butter
Natural Yogurt for toddler

Heat the oil in an oven-proof dish.  Add the onions and saute till they are soft and translucent.  Add the chopped celery and green pepper and cook till they have softened.  Add the ground beef and cook with onions, celery, and pepper till it starts to brown.  Add the ginger and garlic and continue to stir.  Add the tomato paste and water and stir till a gravy starts to form.  Add the chickpeas, salt and lemon juice and give it a good stir.  Turn down the heat and let everything simmer for about 20 minutes.  At this point add the Harissa and stir it through really well. Add a bit of extra water if everything is too dry.  Continue to cook on a low heat for another 20-30 minutes.

In the meantime, chop the sweet potatoes into large chunks.  Place them in a microwavable bowl with the other half of the lemon.  Cover with clingfilm and pierce a few holes in the film.  Cook on high for about 11 minutes, or till the potatoes are soft to the touch (Careful it's hot!!).  This technique belongs to Jamie Oliver (from either his 30 or 15 minute meal shows) and works really splendidly.  When the potatoes are done, remove the skins and mash them with a fork (keep some aside for toddler meal**).  Heat up another pan, add some rapeseed oil and a small knob of butter.  When the butter starts to foam, add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a minute or two.  Add the mashed sweet potato and fold till everything is combined.  Add the chopped coriander and fold till it is evenly mixed in the mash.

Assemble the pie by evenly spreading the mashed sweet potato on top of the mince. You could try add a few dots of butter and grilling the pie for a few minutes.  I didn't do this.

Toddler modification:

Once the mince is cooked, take two tablespoons and place in a ramekin dish.  Add a dollop of natural yogurt and mix it through. Top with a layer of the reserved (**) mashed sweet potato.

Copyright © Jillian Phoenix 2013-06-26 (http://brwngrlintherain.blogspot.co.uk/)