This is a variation on the theme of cottage pie, but with a Mediterranean twist in the form of black olives and pomegranate molasses; and with a taco and beetroot crisp topping instead of the more usual mashed potato (it’s different, adds texture, and is miles quicker to make. It goes particularly well with a fresh tomato, lime zest and coriander (cilantro to those of you in north America) salad.
You can easily make ahead of time, simply reheating and adding the taco/crisp topping at the end.
Serve it with lashings of sour cream.
Recipe for taco-topped and tomatoed beef pie – cottage pie with edge
For four
- 600ml/2½ cups (2 x 300ml tubs) soured cream
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 1 green pepper, finely chopped
- 1 kg/2 lbs good quality (non-fatty) minced beef
- 180g jar/6 oz sundried tomato paste
- 1 tsp cumin seeds, dry fried and ground in a pestle and mortar
- ½ tsp allspice
- 400g/14 oz tin good quality tomatoes (break these up)
- 100g/4 oz pitted black olives (either the Crespi dried type, or in olive oil. Go here for how to make your own)
- 160g tin/6 oz sweet corn
- 2 tsp Spanish sweet smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- Good generous slosh of marsala or red martini (but marsala is best)
- 2 x160g packet/12 oz ordinary or nacho cheese tortilla chips
- 2 x 100g packs mixed beetroot crisps
- Olive oil
- Smoked salt (not too much because of the crisps) and Indonesian long black pepper
- Preheat the oven to 180°C
- Fry the onion and green pepper in olive oil for about five minutes until soft
- Add the meat, the cumin, the allspice, the paprika and brown the meat – another five to ten minutes
- Add the tomatoes, olives, sweetcorn (drained) and pomegranate molasses
- Continue to cook for another 15 minutes to reduce down the liquid
- Pour the meat into a baking dish
- Bake for about 25 minutes, meanwhile smashing roughly the crisps and chips
- Scatter the smashed mix over and cook for another five minutes
- Serve with lashings of soured cream