- 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 pintsžfl 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
- 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.