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1. Peel and chop the potatoes into even chunks. Place in a large pot, cover with cold salted water, and bring to the boil. Cook for 15–18 minutes until completely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot.
Salt,
2 kg Floury potatoes (e.g. Maris Piper or Russet)
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2. Add the butter, milk, and English mustard to the drained potatoes. Mash until smooth and creamy. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside (keep warm on the lowest heat setting, stirring occasionally).
Salt,
Black pepper,
6 tbsp Butter,
0.5 cup Whole milk,
1 tsp English mustard
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3. While the potatoes cook, finely dice the onions, carrots, and celery, and mince or finely grate the garlic. Heat olive oil in your largest deep skillet or wide sauté pan over medium-high heat.
2 piece Brown onion,
3 piece Carrot,
3 piece Celery stalks,
4 clove Garlic cloves,
2 tbsp Olive oil
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4. Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the pan and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring often, until softened and starting to turn golden. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1 minute.
2 piece Brown onion,
3 piece Carrot,
3 piece Celery stalks,
4 clove Garlic cloves
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5. Increase the heat to high and add the beef mince. Break it up well with a wooden spoon and cook for 8–10 minutes until deeply browned with no grey patches remaining. Don't stir too frequently — let it develop a crust on the bottom for maximum flavour.
1.5 kg Beef mince
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6. Stir in the tomato paste, dried thyme, and dried rosemary and cook for 2 minutes to caramelise the paste slightly. Sprinkle the plain flour over the meat and stir well to coat everything evenly. Cook for 1 minute.
3 tbsp Tomato paste,
3 tbsp Plain flour,
1 tsp Dried thyme,
0.5 tsp Dried rosemary
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7. Pour in the beef stock and add the Worcestershire sauce. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the base of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gravy is thick and glossy. Stir in the frozen peas for the final 2 minutes of cooking. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce,
2 cup Beef stock,
1.5 cup Frozen peas,
Salt,
Black pepper
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8. Reduce the heat to low. Spoon or pipe the mashed potato generously over the top of the beef mixture in the skillet, covering it in an even layer. Use a fork to rough up the surface into peaks — this creates texture in the mash when serving. Place the lid on the pan for 3–4 minutes just to let the mash heat through completely.
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9. Scatter chopped fresh parsley over the top and serve straight from the skillet at the table, scooping through all the layers with a large spoon.
0.2 cup Fresh flat-leaf parsley (garnish)
