Cottage pie

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Parsnips are a classic winter vegetable and they have a starring role in this filling meal.

Ingredients

• 1kg (about 8) parsnips, roughly chopped

• 40g butter

• 1 cup skim milk

• Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season

• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 brown onion, finely chopped

• 1 carrot, coarsely grated

• 1 small red capsicum, finely diced

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed

• 500g beef mince

• 1 tsp Italian dried herbs

• 400g can diced tomatoes

• 1 cup salt-reduced beef stock

• 1 zucchini, coarsely grated

• 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan

Put parsnips in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add butter and milk. Mash until smooth. Season, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Step 1
Preheat oven to 200°C. Heat oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add onion, carrot, capsicum and garlic and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until tender. Add mince and cook, breaking it up with a flat-bottomed wooden spoon, for 8 minutes or until browned.

Step 2
Add dried herbs, tomatoes and beef stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes or until meat is tender and mixture has thickened.
Using your hands, gently squeeze as much liquid as possible from zucchini and add to mince. Cook for 2 minutes. Season, then remove from heat.

Step 4
Transfer mince mixture to an 8-cup-capacity baking dish. Spoon parsnip mash over mince.

Step 5
Sprinkle over parmesan. Bake for 25 minutes or until parsnip topping is golden. Serve.

Step 6