Individual cottage pies made in jacket baked potatoes are a perfect idea for a relaxed dinner or causal event like footy finals, Father's Day or anytime really. They're an idea that looks great on the table too.
Ingredients
8 large (about 275g each) Sebago or Golden Delight potatoes, scrubbed
400g button, cup or flat mushrooms
1 tbs olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
500g beef mince
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup beef stock
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tbs thyme leaves
1/3 cup full-cream milk, warmed
1 cup grated tasty cheese
Method
Preheat oven 200°C fan-forced. Pierce potatoes all over with a fork. Place potatoes, directly onto an oven-rack in the oven. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until tender when tested with a skewer
Finely chop mushrooms by hand, or alternatively, pulse in a food processor until finely chopped
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, saute for 3 minutes or until softened. Add mushrooms, increase heat to high and cook for 5 minutes or until moisture has almost evaporated. Add mince, cook, breaking up mince with wooden spoon, until mince changes colour. Combine tomato paste, stock and Worcestershire sauce together in a jug, then stir into mushroom mixture. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes or until thickened. Stir in parsley, thyme and season
Cut one-third from the top of each potato. Discard tops. Leaving 1cm of potato flesh around the skin, scoop out the remaining potato flesh and place into a bowl. Mash potato with warm milk then stir in half the cheese and season
Evenly spoon mushroom filling into potato until three-quarters full. Top each with mashed potato. Place onto a baking tray. Sprinkle over remaining cheese and bake for 15 minutes until hot. Serve
