Cuban Picadillo Cottage Pie with Cheddar Mash (Cuban × British)

Method

1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 4 cm chunks. Put them in a 18 cm pot with enough cold water to cover and some of the salt, bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to medium heat and cook for 18 min, until a knife slides in with no resistance.

   Add in this stepFloury potatoes 400 gSalt ½ tsp

   high heat→medium heat

2. While they cook, heat the oil in a 24 cm pan and cook the finely chopped onion and green pepper over medium heat for 6 min until soft, adding the minced garlic, cumin and oregano for the last minute.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 1½ tbspOnion 1Green bell pepper ½Garlic cloves 2Ground cumin ½ tspDried oregano ½ tsp

   medium heat

3. Turn the heat up to medium-high heat, add the beef and cook for 6 min, breaking it up, until browned. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute more.

   Add in this stepMinced beef 240 gTomato paste 2 tsp

   medium-high heat

4. Add the stock, Worcestershire sauce, raisins, halved olives, some of the salt and the pepper, lower to medium-low heat and simmer for 10 min, until the sauce clings thickly to the meat with no pool of liquid. A runny filling makes a soggy pie.

   Add in this stepBeef stock 120 mlWorcestershire sauce 1 tspRaisins 15 gPitted green olives 8Salt 0.4 tspBlack pepper to taste

   medium-low heat

5. Drain the potatoes, return them to the pot and shake over low heat for 1 minute to steam off moisture. Off the heat, add the butter, warm milk and remaining salt and mash until smooth.

   Add in this stepButter 20 gMilk, warmed 60 mlSalt 0.4 tsp

6. Heat the oven to 200 °C. Spread the picadillo in a 15×20 cm ovenproof dish, cover with the mash starting from the edges, and rough up the top with a fork. Scatter over the cheddar and bake (oven) for 22 min, until bubbling at the edges and golden on top. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

   Add in this stepGrated cheddar 40 g

   oven