Sarah Butler: My recipes for comforting cottage pie and sweet potato soup

Serving up cosy comfort in a bowl with some handy winter warmers

The kind of food that tastes like a hug

This week’s recipes are two firm favourites in my house. It is most definitely soup season, those dark, chilly days call for comfort, and cosy one-bowl meals to tuck into when you get in from the cold. The sweet potato, carrot, and sage soup is incredibly easy to make and brings pure warmth in a bowl. It reheats beautifully and is perfect for lunchboxes, especially if you pop it into a thermal flask to keep it hot.

Cottage pie is a classic, but never dull. Make it ahead of time and simply pop it in the oven at teatime. With rich homemade gravy and creamy mash, it’s the ultimate simple yet satisfying meal. I love it because it uses budget friendly mince, basic vegetables and everyday staples. A little really does go a long way, especially if you bulk up the vegetables.

Light the fire, curl up, and savour a portion of pure comfort.

Sweet Potato, Carrot, and Sage Soup

recipe by:Sarah Butler

I first made this soup when there was absolutely nothing in the house. It was a thrown together experiment that turned out so well, I’ve made it countless times since.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Starter

Ingredients

• 20g butter

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 shallot, finely diced

• 2 cloves garlic, finely diced

• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped into small cubes

• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into small cubes

• 1 tsp fresh sage, chopped

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tbsp flour

• Salt and pepper

• 600ml vegetable stock

• 100ml cream (optional)

•  

Method

1. Melt the butter and olive oil in a deep casserole pot or large saucepan over medium heat.

2. When the butter starts to bubble, add the shallot, garlic, carrot, sweet potato, sage, and bay leaf.

3. Season with salt and pepper, then cover with a piece of parchment paper to let the vegetables sweat gently for 5–10 minutes over low heat.

4. Remove the parchment, stir in the flour, and cook for another minute or two to remove the raw flavour.

5. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a simmer.

6. Cook for 15–20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and tender.

7. Stir in the cream, if using, then remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Blitz the soup carefully until smooth, adding a little extra stock if you prefer a thinner consistency.

8. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.

 

Sarah's secret

This soup freezes perfectly. Allow to cool, pour into freezer bags, flatten, and freeze; it defrosts much faster this way.

Cottage Pie

recipe by:Sarah Butler

The kind of food that tastes like a hug. Simple, satisfying, and always a crowd-pleaser. Best of all, it freezes beautifully

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 60 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 15 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• For the filling

• 40g butter

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 400g minced beef

• 1 large onion, diced

• 3 carrots, peeled and diced

• 2 celery sticks, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 beef stock cube

• 2 tbsp plain flour

• 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

• 400ml chicken stock

• 2 tbsp tomato purée

• 2 tbsp chopped parsley

• 1 tbsp thyme

• 2 bay leaves

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• For the topping

• 1.5kg potatoes, peeled and halved

• 200ml milk

• 100g butter

• 100g white cheddar cheese, grated

• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1. Cook the potatoes by steaming or boiling until tender, then set aside. 

2. Heat half the butter and olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the minced beef and cook until browned. Crumble in the stock cube, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

3. In a large casserole pot, melt the remaining butter with olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes until softened. Return the mince to the pot. Sprinkle over the flour and stir well to coat everything evenly.Pour in the chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, and tomato purée. Stir in the parsley, thyme, and bay leaves. Season to taste.

4. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat and cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

5. Warm the milk and melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the cooked potatoes and grated cheese. Season well and mash until smooth and creamy.

6. Spoon the meat mixture into a deep ovenproof dish. Spread the mashed potatoes evenly on top. Place under a hot grill until golden and bubbling.

Sarah's secret

Double the recipe and divide it between two dishes — one for now, one for the freezer. Perfect for an easy midweek meal when you’re short on time.