Hairy Biker's cottage pie is 'rich' and creamy with less than 250 calories per portion

Cottage pie is a comfort food classic which means the calorie count can quickly add up. Fortunately, the Hairy Bikers have the perfect alternative recipe.

By Phoebe Cornish, Senior Lifestyle Reporter

Cottage pie in a baking dish

Hairy Biker's cottage pie is 'rich' and creamy with less than 250 calories per portion (Image: GETTY)
Cottage pie is a staple dish in many British households and something lots of people have a unique recipe for.
That said, this formula by the is not to be missed by those on a mission to take control of calories at meal times.
Sharing the on their website, the chefs claimed: "This lower-fat cottage pie recipe has all the rich warming flavours of the traditional dish with just 247 cals per serving."
The trademark indulgent taste is achieved by swapping out heavy cheese and cream for lighter creme fraiche.
It couldn't be easier to make fresh for dinner but can also be cooled and refrigerated, or even frozen to enjoy at a later date.

COTTAGE PIE IN A DISH

The recipe is easy to follow and tastes traditional despite being lower calorie (Image: GETTY)

Ingredients

  • 400g lean minced beef
  • Two medium onions, chopped
  • Two celery sticks, finely sliced
  • Two medium carrots, diced
  • 400g can of chopped tomatoes
  • Two tablespoons tomato purée
  • One beef stock cube, diluted in 500ml water
  • One tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
  • One teaspoon of dried mixed herbs
  • Four teaspoons cornflour
  • One tablespoon of cold water
  • Flaked sea salt
  • Ground black pepper

For the topping

  • 750g floury potatoes (King Edwards or Maris Pipers)
  • Two teaspoons of sunflower oil
  • Two leeks trimmed and cut into 1cm slices
  • 150g half-fat crème fraiche

Hairy Biker's Cottage Pie recipe

This dish is so easy to make all in one pan before layering it up in a dish, so start by preparing a large non-stick saucepan over medium heat and preheat the oven to 220C.

Add the mince, onions, celery and carrots then leave it all to cook for 10 minutes until lightly browned, breaking up the meat as it fries.

Stir in the tomatoes, puree, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and herbs then season generously with salt and pepper. Bring it all to the boil and then reduce the heat.

Cover the pan loosely and leave to simmer for 40 minutes with occasional stirring. Roughly 20 minutes before the meat is cooked through, make the potato topping.

Peel and chop the potatoes then boil in a large saucepan with water, taking care to turn the heat down slightly when the bubbling builds up.

Leave to simmer for 20 minutes until the spuds are very tender, then heat some oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook off the leeks until they're soft but not coloured, stirring often.

Drain the potatoes, return them to the pan and season to taste before mashing with the crème fraiche until smooth. Finally, stir in the sautéed leeks and set aside.

Return to the beef mixture to thicken it up with a mixture of cornflour and cold water. Make it into a smooth paste before adding it to the pan, then cook for two minutes until thick.

Pour the beef mixture into a two-litre shallow ovenproof dish then top with the potatoes and leeks. Spoon the mixture all around the edge of the dish before heading into the middle, then fluff up with a fork. Bake for 30 minutes until golden and bubbling.

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