Ostrich and cauliflower cottage pie

You thought you couldn't make a great cottage pie without spuds.

Ingredients

• 30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
• 500g lean beef or ostrich mince
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery sticks, sliced
• Pinch ground cinnamon
• 5ml (1 tsp) dried thyme
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 30ml (2 tbsp) cornflour
• 45ml (3 tbsp) tomato puree
• 30ml (2 tbsp) Worcestershire sauce
• 500ml (2 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
• Cauliflower mash
• 30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 large cauliflower, broken into florets
• 500ml (2 cups) chicken stock
• Pinch grated nutmeg
• 30ml (2 tbsp) butter or margarine
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Fresh cream or milk, as needed

Method

Heat half the oil in a large, nonstick frying pan and brown the mince. Season, remove and set aside. Add the remaining oil to the pan and fry the onions until golden, then add the carrots and celery and fry until soft. Add the cinnamon and thyme, return the mince to the pan and season. Mix the cornflour with a little water to make a paste and add to the mince with the tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce and stock. Simmer for 30-40 minutes until the liquid has reduced. Spoon into a 2litre ovenproof dish.

For the mash, heat the oil in a pan and fry the garlic until fragrant. Add the cauliflower and stir-fry for 2 minutes until coated. Add the stock, bring to the boil and simmer until tender. Drain, reserving the stock. Process in a blender with the nutmeg and butter. Season and stir in a little of the cooking liquid and just enough cream or milk to make a smooth mash.

Spread evenly over the mince and bake in a preheated oven at 200C for 20-30 minutes.

Serves 4-6