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.