Ingredients

• 4kg/9lb beef short ribs
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 50ml/1fl oz vegetable oil
• 2 carrots
• peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 leek
• roughly chopped
• 1 head garlic
• 2 tsp black peppercorns
• 4 star anise
• 6 onions
• 3 chopped
• 3 sliced
• 300ml/10fl oz red wine
• 110ml/4fl oz port
• 4 litres/7 pints¾fl oz beef stock
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• leaves only
• 4-6 x 10cm/4in beef marrow bones
• 4-6 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 3 large floury potatoes
• peeled and cut into pieces
• 200ml/7fl oz milk
• 200g/7oz butter
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• For the cottage pie filling
• season the ribs with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat a large casserole dish until hot
• add half of the vegetable oil and then add the seasoned short ribs. Fry until browned on all sides.
• Remove the ribs from the pan and place onto a wire rack suspended over a plate.
• Add the carrots
• leek
• garlic
• peppercorns
• star anise and chopped onion (reserve the sliced onion) and fry for 4-5 minutes
• or until golden-brown.
• Add the red wine and port to the pan
• bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until syrup-like in consistency and reduced in volume by three-quarters.
• Return the beef ribs to the pan
• cover with the beef stock and bring to the boil. Cut out a greaseproof paper lid the size of the pan. Skim off any impurities from the surface of the liquid with a spoon
• cover with the greaseproof paper lid
• turn the heat down low and simmer for three hours
• or until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.
• When the beef is cooked
• strain the liquid
• pouring the sauce into a clean saucepan. Set the cooked meat aside.
• Place the liquid onto the heat
• bring to the boil and then immediately reduce the heat to a simmer. Continue to simmer until reduced by half
• skimming off any excess fat with a spoon.
• Meanwhile
• pick the meat from the bones
• discarding any fat and sinew. Remove the reduced sauce from the heat and add the picked meat to it. Mix well.
• Heat a frying pan until hot
• add the remaining vegetable oil to the pan and the sliced onion. Fry for 5-8 minutes until golden-brown and softened. Stir in the thyme leaves and set aside.
• For the mash
• place the potato pieces into a pan of salted water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15-18 minutes
• or until tender. Drain and return the potatoes to the pan to drive off any excess moisture.
• Pass the potatoes through a ricer into a clean bowl (alternatively use a potato masher
• though you will not get such as smooth finish).
• Bring the milk and butter to a simmer in a separate pan. Add the hot milk and butter mixture to the potatoes and beat well. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and tip the mixture into a piping bag.
• To finish the beef
• preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Spoon the braised beef into 4-6 ovenproof dishes and top with the fried onions. Place a marrow bone in the centre of each dish and place the rosemary sprigs in the top of the bone. Pipe the mashed potato onto the meat.
• Cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes
• or until golden and bubbling.
• Serve the braised short rib and onion cottage pie at once.