Graham Kerr’s Cottage Pie

FILLING
1/4 c Uncooked bulgur wheat
3 c Low-sodium beef stock
3/4 lb Lean ground beef
1/2 ts Salt
3 tb Low-sodium tomato paste
1 ts Olive oil
1 ds Sesame oil
1 c Onion; chopped
1 c Carrots; chopped
1/4 c Celery; chopped
2 Cloves garlic; peel/chop
1 tb Fresh thyme; chopped
1 tb Fresh parsley; chopped
1/2 ts Marjoram
1 tb Low-sodium soy sauce
1 tb Prepared horseradish
1 tb Arrowroot; mixed with
2 tb Beef stock

POTATOES:

Boil in a large pot of water for 20 minutes with the salt. Drain; return to
the pot, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let steam dry for 15 minutes
over very low heat. Add the pepper and buttermilk, and mash until smooth.
Set aside until needed.

FILLING:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the bulgur in a medium bowl. Heat 2
cups of the stock in a small caucepan, pour over the bulgur, and set aside
for 10 minutes to soften.

Brown the beef with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a frying pan over high heat
until brown. Push the meat to one side, reduce the heat to medium, add the
tomato paste to the hot pan, and stir until it starts turning dark. Pour
the remaining cup of beef stock into the pan, stirring to free all the
flavorful bits, then transfer the filling to a bowl, and set aside.

Without washing the pan, heat the oil over medium heat and start frying the
onions. When they begin to wilt, add the rest of the vegetables, garlic,
herbs, and the remaining salt, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce,
horseradish, bulgur, and beef stock and simmer for 10 minutes or until the
carrots are tender. Add the cooked meat mixture, and stir in the arrowroot
slurry. Bring to a boil, and pour into a 9×9 baking dish. Spread the mashed
potatoes over the top of the hot filling or pipe them on, using a large
star tip. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then place under the
broiler for 2 minutes to brown the potatoes slightly.