I’ve always loved Cottage Pie and this recipe is a twist on a traditional favourite. I’m often cooking for a “hungry hoard” so this particular recipe will provide eight generous portions. You could either halve the recipe or cook the quantities below and use the extra portions for lunch or dinner the next day. Alternatively, freeze the four remaining portions (without the topping) for dinner another day. Loaded with veggies, this is quite a healthy meal especially using cauliflower as an alternative to the traditional potato topping. This is also one of those meals that you can sneak in some veggies that the kids wouldn’t normally eat.
So tell me, is Cottage Pie one of your family favourites and what veggies do you like to hide inside your dishes from unsuspecting little people?
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ onions, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 6 sticks celery, chopped
- 2 zucchini, diced
- 1kg chicken tenderloins, finely chopped
- ½ cup tomato paste
- 500ml chicken stock
- 2 x 400g cans diced tomatoes
- 1 x 400g can corn kernels
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Topping …
- 3 cups roughly shredded cauliflower
- 3 cups low fat milk
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 200g tub greek natural yoghurt (or other reduced-fat yoghurt)
- 1 cup grated reduced fat cheese
- 2 tablespoons cornflour
- ¼ cup water
- grated cheese, extra
- breadcrumbs (rice crumbs)
- Preheat oven to 180C (fan-forced).
- Saute the onion and garlic in the oil for a couple of minutes.
- Add carrot, celery, zucchini and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken cooking until browned and then stir in the tomato paste. Add the chicken stock, canned tomatoes and thyme and simmer gently until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Add the corn and peas and then spread the mixture between eight individual ramekins.
- To make the topping combine the cauliflower, milk and nutmeg in a saucepan and simmer gently over a low heat until cauliflower is just tender, be careful not to boil the mixture. Remove from heat and stir through the yoghurt and the cheese.
- Blend cornflour and water to make a thick paste and then slowly add to the cauliflower mixture until it thickens.
- Spoon the cauliflower topping over the chicken mixture in the ramekins, top with grated cheese and sprinkle with bread or rice crumbs.
- Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until golden brown on top.
Clever Tricks, Tips & Hints:
- As an alternative, replace the chicken tenderloins with chicken mince, which will be easier on the budget.
- To chop the cauliflower, remove the flowerettes from the stem, slice roughly and then chop.
- Sprinkling breadcrumbs (or rice crumbs) over grated cheese toppings is something I’ve been doing for a while. Cheese when it’s heated tends to release a bit of oil and the breadcrumbs sprinkled over the top will absorb any oil and also add a nice crunchy texture to the topping. This can be omitted if you like. Enjoy!!
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This is a wonderful family meal. I do like to make comfort dishes like this when the weather cools. I like how you added cauliflower to the topping xx
Winter is definitely the time for delicious “comfort food” and this cauliflower topping is a really yummy alternative to the traditional potato!
I haven’t had cottage pie in years! But this week is definitely the weather for it!
Yes, we’ve been following the terrible Sydney storms on the news … it’s definitely been wild weather … hope everyone’s ok!