Tasty Low FODMAP Cottage Pie

Guest post by Larah Brook from lowfodmapdiets.com

Since being diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) in 2013, I have been following a modified low FODMAP diet. This means that even after four years, I still have to eat 80% low FODMAP food in order to stay below my safe threshold and avoid those awful symptoms.
Thankfully, cooking low FODMAP food is not an effort anymore – I know what I can tolerate and what food I should avoid.
I am the only member of my family suffering from IBS, but for convenience I tend to prepare mostly low FODMAP food for everybody at dinner time and generally nobody complains about the fact that they are missing high FODMAP ingredients in the recipes.
One of my most popular dinners is a low FODMAP Cottage Pie. With some easy modifications, I transform this classic British dish into one that is also low Fodmap for me.
Originally (pre-IBS), I used to prepare this recipe with garlic, onion, celery, carrots, peas and sweetcorn; now I use garlic and onion infused oils, carrots, a smaller quantity of celery and any low FODMAP vegetables I like and I can tolerate and that I have in the fridge or freezer. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I and my family do.

Tasty Low FODMAP Cottage Pie

 

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Author: Larah Brook

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons onion infused oil
• 2 tablespoons garlic infused oil
• 1 medium carrot peeled and chopped
• 2 cups (200 g) broccoli, chopped
• 1 cup kale leaves, chopped (frozen kale is also fine)
• 1 celery stalk, chopped (this small quantity of celery per serving is low FODMAP)
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 kg lean minced beef
• 4 tablespoons low FODMAP gravy powder (see notes)
• 1 cup (250 ml) beef or vegetable stock
• 1 can (400 g or 14 oz) chopped tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste

For the mashed potato

• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 kg, 2.2 lbs (about 12 medium size) potatoes, peeled and quartered in even size (check the notes below how to choose the best potatoes for mashing)
• 8 tablespoons (100 g or ½ cup) butter, softened but not melted (or non-dairy alternative)
• 1 cup/250 ml lactose free milk, warm to hot (or other low FODMAP non-dairy alternatives like rice milk, almond milk etc.)
• 2 cups (200 g) cheddar cheese, grated

Method

1. Heat the garlic infused oil in a large non-sticky pan
2. Stir fry the chopped carrot, broccoli, kale and celery stalk for a few minutes until softened
3. Set the vegetables aside in a bowl
4. In the same non-sticky pan, heat the onion infused oil
5. Add minced beef and stir with a wooden spoon to break up any lumps
6. Cook until the meat is browned
7. Stir the cooked vegetables back in the pan with the cooked meat
8. Add gravy powder* and stir well
9. Add stock** and stir well
10. Add canned chopped tomato, stir well and simmer on low-medium heat for about 30 minutes or until thickened, stirring regularly (if still too liquid just increase the heat)
11. Taste for seasoning
12. While the meat is cooking, start the mashed potatoes.
13. In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with cold water, add salt in the water and bring to the boil
14. Turn the heat down and simmer until tender (after approximately 12 minutes insert a knife in one of the potatoes to see if it's cooked all the way through).
15. Drain well and mash immediately using a masher
16. Incorporate the butter, using a spoon and stir vigorously
17. Slowly add the hot milk until the right consistency is reached
18. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set the mash aside for a minute
19. Spoon meat into a large casserole dish
20. Sprinkle the cheese on the meat
21. Use a piping bag or a spoon to cover the meat evenly with mashed potatoes
22. Preheat oven to 200 C fan-forced (390 F) and cook for around 30 mins, or until the mashed potato topping is of a lovely golden-brown colour
23. Serve with your favourite low FODMAP salad

3.5.3226

Notes

If you don’t like or can’t tolerate broccoli, replace with zucchini, or another low FODMAP vegetable.
*Low FODMAP gravy mix powder: Gravox gravy powder has no onion or garlic, but if you cannot find this or another suitable gravy powder, use 3 tablespoons corn flour as a thickener and 1 tablespoon tamari sauce for a bit more taste.
**Massel 7’s Bouillon Cubes contain no garlic nor onion and can be used to make the broth.
For the mashed potato: There are hundreds of types of potatoes around the world, but most chefs agree that the best potatoes for mashing are the starchy types.
Depending on which country you live in, there are different types that are suitable.
Just to give you an idea, in Australia go for Coliban, Dutch Creams, Golden delights, Sebago.
In the USA, select Russets, or all-purpose potatoes like the Yukon golds.
In the UK, Maris Piper potatoes seem to be Jamie Oliver’s favourite for mashing, another one is Desiree.

Larah Brook

Larah is an IBS sufferer, who had her life transformed by the low FODMAP diet and for this reason she is now a great advocate of the diet. In addition to her Journey Into The Low FODMAP blog, Larah hosts the Low FODMAP Diet & IBS podcast, which is available on iTunes and on her website.