TWO TWISTS: COTTAGE PIE

From vegan to venison, two members of our food team bring you very different versions of this warming family favourite

- BARNEY DESMAZERY AND LIBERTY MENDEZ

LIBERTY

I’ve added a few secret ingredients to this recipe – soy sauce brings a salty hit of umami to the filling, the mustard powder in the sweet potato mash takes the sweetness of the potatoes down a notch and adds a little kick, and the pumpkin seeds sprinkled on top add crunch and texture. I try not to eat as much meat during the week, so this vegan lentil pie is perfect for a midweek dinner on a chilly day. Liberty Mendez, recipe developer

BARNEY

This pie is a great way of getting your family to eat venison without having to make anything complicated or fancy, and it’s up to you if you want to disclose your meat choice before they try it. I didn’t, and my cottage pie-loving son proclaimed it to be the best I’d ever made, and asked for it in his lunchbox the following day. Apart from the venison, I’ve kept things classic – just meat simmered in a rich gravy and topped with a buttery mash then baked until golden. I’ve opted out of a melty cheese topping as I wanted the flavour of the venison to shine, but if that’s how you like your cottage pie, then by all means sprinkle with a couple of handfuls of grated mature cheddar before baking. Barney Desmazery, skills & shows editor

Venison cottage pie

The non-alcoholic red wine is optional, but it does add a richness to the sauce and works well with the venison. You could add non-alcoholic stout instead – if you do, add a pinch of sugar as cooked stout can be slightly bitter.

SERVES 4-6 PREP 20 mins plus resting COOK 1 hr 50 mins EASY

1-2 tbsp vegetable oil

500-600g venison mince

1 large carrot, finely chopped