Winter is the perfect time for a hearty cottage pie, and even better if it's a healthy one. The Hairy Bikers were renowned for cooking up plenty of calorie-friendly dishes over the years. Sadly, Dave Myers - one half of the amiable chef duo - died earlier this year from cancer and Si King has since said he can't continue making the same kind of programmes without his best mate. However, the pair left behind a tasty hoard of recipes, including their take on a healthy cottage pie that includes a leek topping. "This lower-fat cottage pie recipe has all the rich warming flavours of the traditional dish with just 247 cals per serving," it states on their site.
The pie takes around 90 minutes overall, which is broken up into 20 minutes preparation time and one hour and 10 minute cooking. Follow the straightforward method given below and you'll be in for a culinary treat this New Year before you know it. The advantage of this meal is that you can also keep some of it to eat for the next day or two, saving you time in the kitchen.
For the mince mixture. For the topping. Firstly, put a large non-stick saucepan or flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat. Add the mince and cook it with the onions, celery and carrots for 10 minutes until lightly coloured. Then use a couple of wooden spoons to break up the meat as it cooks. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato purée, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, and mixed herbs.
