Cottage pie is a classic British comfort food made with minced beef simmered in a rich, savoury gravy with vegetables, then topped with creamy mashed potato and baked until golden and crisp

Cottage pie is a quintessential British comfort dish featuring minced beef cooked in a hearty, flavourful gravy with vegetables, crowned with smooth mashed potato and baked until it achieves a golden, crispy finish.

While cottage pie and shepherd’s pie are frequently mistaken for one another, the difference is simple: cottage pie is conventionally prepared with beef, whereas shepherd’s pie uses lamb. Beyond the choice of meat, the recipes are remarkably alike.

An excellent cottage pie ought to be hearty, substantial and packed with taste rather than runny, as excessive liquid can result in a waterlogged mashed potato topping.

For optimal results, the mash needs to be velvety and light, with a golden, lightly crisped surface following baking.

It’s also an ideal dish for preparing ahead, as both the filling and mash can be made beforehand and the entire pie baked when you’re ready to serve, reports the Express.

Incorporating some cream into the mashed potato will render the cottage pie luxuriously smooth, enhancing the dish’s overall taste.

This recipe originates from Golden Kings and requires just 30 minutes of baking time.

How to make a golden and delicious cottage pie

Ingredients

• Six Golden Kings potatoes
• One tablespoon of vegetable oil
• 500g beef mince
• One teaspoon of chopped garlic
• One onion (diced)
• One carrot (diced)
• Three tins of chopped tomatoes
• One tablespoon of tomato puree
• 400ml beef stock
• One teaspoon of dried oregano
• Salt and black pepper to season
• Knob of butter
• 50ml cream

Method

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan, then add the onion and carrot.

Add the garlic for one minute, then set aside.

2. Add the mince to the pan and cook until brown, then add the onion and carrot, chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, stock and seasoning.

Simmer for 45 minutes until the sauce has reduced. 3.

In the meantime, peel and dice the Golden Kings potatoes before setting them to boil. When soft, drain and mash with butter and cream until velvety and smooth.

4. Transfer the mince mixture into a baking dish and then, utilising a rose or star nozzle, pipe mashed potato roses straight on top.

5. Bake for 30 minutes until golden.

Lionel Richie checked himself into hospital for tests after appearing to struggle on stage during his concert at The Muny in St Louis, Missouri

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Lionel Richie has been admitted to hospital. The All Night Long performer had been on stage in St Louis, Missouri and was admitted to a local hospital for medical examinations shortly afterwards.

TMZ reported: “Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ Lionel checked himself into a local hospital after his Saturday night performance at The Muny in Forest Park to have some tests run.

“We’re told Lionel is being cautious and doctors are looking into possible slight dehydration. Our sources say he’s hoping to be discharged Tuesday.”

The publication also stated that audience members said Lionel “appeared to be struggling a bit toward the end of the show” and the performer “asked his team to bring him a chair while performing his final song so he could sit down.”

In June it was reported that Lionel had “fallen ill” while performing as supporters grew concerned about his wellbeing. He was compelled to cut short his gig mid-way through while appearing in Minnesota, reports the Daily Star.

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The 77 year old was delivering the opening night of his joint tour with Earth, Wind and Fire at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul when he started feeling poorly. Lionel informed the audience he felt “dizzy” and took a seat multiple times during Dancing On The Ceiling.

Following his rendition of Three Times A Lady from his piano, Lionel opted to declare that the performance would pause for an interval. Nevertheless, he never came back to the stage.

Saxophonist Dino Soldo subsequently broke the news to crestfallen fans, saying: “Unfortunately, Lionel is not feeling well. He won’t be able to continue.”

A man, 23, has been charged with murder following a fatal house fire.

Natalie McDonald, 34, died in the blaze in Grangetown, near Middlesbrough, in the early hours of Wednesday, along with her niece Valentina Foster, seven.

The man was charged with two counts of murder, two counts of section 18 grievous bodily harm with intent and two counts of attempted section 18 grievous bodily harm with intent, Cleveland Police say.

He is scheduled to appear at Teesside Magistrates’ Court later on Tuesday.

“This has been a truly tragic incident, and my thoughts remain with the families of all those involved,” Senior Investigating Officer Katie Smith from Northumbria Police said.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

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Manchester City have been intent on replacing any players who left the Etihad Stadium this summer in a bid to give Enzo Maresca a squad capable of challenging for the biggest prizes in football. They look unlikely to stick to that plan, but if they do then they’re in for a frantic final day of the transfer window.

Ayyoub Bouaddi’s arrival last week was understood to be seen as supplementary to the replacements they would look to sign for any outgoing players. With Rodri, Nico Gonzalez and Tijjani Reijnders all leaving City over the last few weeks, we’re waiting for their replacements.

Enzo Fernandez could yet be the marquee signing of City’s summer. City were set for talks with Chelsea over the weekend, and if a deal can be reached then the fee City will pay will almost definitely eclipse the £116million they paid for Elliot Anderson earlier in the summer.

Mr Swinney added: “That is how we generate economic opportunity and economic growth within Scotland and that whole issue and ambition will be central to the government’s programme, because the more we grow our economy the more we can eradicate child poverty, the more we can strengthen our public services.”

Manchester United are still weighing up a move for a left-back on deadline day as Michael Carrick looks for an 11th-hour addition to his squad.

But Old Trafford sources insist they will only make a move today if the right opportunity arises and won’t rush into a panic signing, despite the lack of a back-up to Luke Shaw.

United have made a habit of making short-term loan signings in recent seasons, including Odion Ighalo, Wout Weghorst, Marcel Sabitzer and Sergio Reguilon, but Ineos are keen to put an end to those stop-gap additions.

Indian prime minister Narendra Modi told his “friend” and Russian president Vladimir Putin that his war with Ukraine must end for “humanity’s sake”.

The world leaders met in in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek and the comments were made on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, according to a Kremlin transcript of the exchange.

“Every day that the war continues, humanity is, in effect, set back a step, whilst every step towards peace gives all of humanity real hope for peace,” he said.

“We need to move from endless war to an end to the war, to a cessation of hostilities. And we will need to move precisely in this direction.”

Putin is reported to have responded: “Thank you very much, Prime Minister. We are moving forward along this path.”

Meanwhile, a Russian drone barrage on the Kyiv region entered its fifth day on Monday.

The latest attacks injured four people and damaged warehouse facilities, an apartment block and a retail outlet in the Kyiv region, regional governor Tymur Tkachenko said on Telegram.

It comes as Russia’s defence ministry has announced it is preparing “massive strikes” on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in retaliation for a drone campaign by Kyiv attacking warehouses and oil and gas facilities.

Porters Lodge Tea Room is just outside of Cambridgeshire and is surrounded by pretty gardens

Hidden in the Suffolk countryside is a tea room that feels like home. Serving up afternoon teas and lunches, Porters Lodge Gardens and Team Room is in a serene spot surrounded by beautiful gardens.

Set within two and a half acres of garden and 20 acres of woodland, it’s a pretty place to go for a walk as well as enjoying a tasty lunch. The garden has no map, with visitors encouraged to have a wander and see what they find.

The owner of the tea room and gardens, Craig Wyncoll, said he opened the business 40 years ago to help subsidise Limitless Futures, a school for children with learning disabilities near the gardens. Guests make a £5 donation to enter the gardens, which goes towards running the school.

He added: “There’s a walled garden, a fern house, a Japanese garden, and a grotto. There’s a lot to see but I always tell people, there’s no map, I want you to go around and I want you to be surprised. There’s something around every corner. There’s lots of statues and water features so it’s not all about plants here. It’s the features that make the garden.”

Mr Wyncoll said the walled garden is “the great highlight”, as “it looks the best and has a big greenhouse” to look through. Mr Wyncoll suggests visitors come to the garden without any knowledge of the garden to be “very pleasantly surprised”.

He continued: “On the whole, I am just overwhelmed by the positivity of people. I’m endlessly being complimented and people tell me they’ve had a wonderful time. But I prefer them to come with very little expectations and go away very happy and that’s what happens really.”

The “old-fashioned” tea room on site is described as being “very well presented and very reasonably priced,” with many customers return regularly. The tea room has a range of cakes available with light lunches and platters in the summer. In the winter, they serve sausage rolls, soups, a hot dish of the day.

Mr Wyncoll said the tea room feels like going to somebody’s home and that Porters Lodge makes for “a pleasant afternoon out”. He continued: “You don’t have to come and go around the gardens. The rooms are open independently of the gardens. It’s the rooms that draws people in because it really is unique. You’re surrounded by trees and plants, and you can sit there all afternoon. We make people feel comfortable.”

Porters Lodge Gardens and Tea Room can be found on Icknield Way in Cavenham, which is around a 36 minute drive from Cambridge via the A11. There is a car park on site for guests to use.