Chefs Recipe: Cottage Pie by 1919 at The Cottage in the Wood

Set in the magnificent Malvern Hills with panoramic Cotswold views, The Cottage in the Wood is a unique and peaceful 30 bedroom boutique hotel. Privately owned by Nick and Julia Davies, the team at the hotel work together to create a relaxing atmosphere and their motto is ‘Live and Let Live’. True to its venue, the signature dish of 1919 Restaurant within the hotel is of course The Cottage Pie and we are delighted they have shared it with us!

The Cottage Pie

Ingredients

For the shin of beef

• 1  x shin of beef on the bone
• 1  x oxtail
• 4  x carrots
• 2  x sticks of celery – roughly chopped
• 1  x large onion – roughly chopped
• 5 x  sprigs of thyme
• 2  x cloves of garlic
• 2  x bay leaves
• 500 ml of beef stock
• 500 ml of red wine
• 200g of black treacle

Method

Place the beef and the oxtail in a large pan or a deep tray that will fit in the oven, along with the roughly chopped vegetables and rest of the ingredients.  Cover with a lid or tin foil and bake at 150 c for 4 to 5 hours.  Once tender allow to cool to room temperature then strain the meat keeping the stock left in the pan.  Shred the meat using your fingers.

Skim off any fat from the surface of the stock.

Ingredients

The Cottage Pie

• 2 x large carrots in 1 cm diced
• 3 x sticks of celery  in 1 cm diced
• 1  x large onion in 1 cm diced
• 2 x  cloves of garlic crushed
• 1 x tbs  tomato puree
• 2  x tbs plain flour
• freshly chopped parsley
• The cooked shin of beef and oxtail mixture
• 1 x large knob of butter
• 30 ml of balsamic vinegar

In a large pan sweat down the vegetables and garlic till they are tender then add the tomato puree and cook for a further 8 minutes.  Then add the flour and cook for a further 2 minutes.  Add the stock bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the cooked shin of beef and oxtail, along with the parsley and balsamic vinegar – mix well.  Season to taste.  Pour the mixture into a large serving dish and allow to cool.

Horseradish Mash

2 x kilo of King Edward or Maris Piper potatoes – peel and cut into even sized pieces, bring to the boil in salted water and simmer until tender.  Strain the potatoes into a colander and allow to dry for a few minutes.

Mash the Potatoes with 100g of butter and a good table spoon of creamed horseradish.  Season to taste.

Spread the mash all over the beef mix and rough up the top with a fork.  Brush egg yolk over the mash and bake in a preheated oven at 180 c  for 35 – 40 minutes, check that the centre is hot.

Served in 1919 with samphire, fresh peas and broad beans (£19.00)

The Restaurant: 1919 Restaurant at The Cottage in the Wood | Holywell Road | Malvern Wells | Worcestershire | WR14 4LG | www.cottageinthewood.co.uk | 01684 588860

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