Cottage pie will taste even richer if you add 1 ingredient when preparing

Cottage pie is the ultimate comfort food, and I’ve been making it for years. But recently I discovered a secret ingredient that makes it even more delicious – and it’s so simple.

There’s nothing more soothing on a chilly winter evening than a robust cottage pie. With its rich, savoury filling and creamy, indulgent mash topping, it’s the ultimate comfort food.

I’ve been rustling up cottage pie for years, and recently stumbled upon a secret ingredient that elevates it to new levels of deliciousness. To truly enhance the flavour in this recipe, a splash of dark stout or Guinness works wonders.

I also always incorporate an egg yolk or two into my mash topping – this makes it even creamier and more luxurious. It might sound odd, but trust me – it will result in the best pie you’ve ever tasted.

If you fancy giving this sumptuous, heart-warming recipe a go, here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredients for the stew

• One onion, diced
• Four carrots, diced
• Three cloves of crushed garlic
• 500g beef mince – or lamb if you fancy shepherds pie
• Two tablespoons of tomato paste
• One to 11⁄2 tablespoons of flour
• One cup good quality beef stock
• One cup Guinness
• Worcestershire sauce
• Frozen peas
• One teaspoon each chopped rosemary and thyme

For the mash

• Five to six large potatoes
• One cup grated cheddar
• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 1⁄2 cup milk
• Two egg yolks

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. I start by making my mash, as I find that if I leave it to the end, everything is happening too fast.
2. Peel and cut your potatoes and boil them until tender. Drain the pot, then put the potatoes back on the heat and shake for one minute to dry them.
3. Cut the heat, add your cheese and butter to the potatoes and mash. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once the mixture has cooled a little, whisk your egg yolks and milk together and add to the slightly cooled potatoes and combine. Set aside, with a lid on the saucepan to keep it warm
4. In a large saucepan over a medium heat, brown your mince and drain the excess fat.
5. Add your diced carrots and onion, and saute until the onions become translucent.
6. Make a hole in the middle of the mixture and add your garlic and tomato paste, then stir through until combined and add your herbs.
7. Add your flour and stir through until the flour has disappeared and a lovely crust of flavour has formed on the bottom of the pan.
8. Deglaze the pan with your Guinness and beef stock, making sure to really scrape the flour off the bottom of the pan.
9. Add your Worcestershire sauce and simmer until thick, then add your frozen peas.
10. Spoon your stew into a large oven-safe dish and then add the potatoes on top. Rough the surface of the potato with a fork – this will create those lovely nooks and crannies that get all crispy in the oven.
11. Put in the oven for 15 minutes, then remove and add another handful of cheddar on top. Bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden and crispy.