The warm, rainy, and humid weather of these early summer days have created the perfect fruiting conditions for wild mushrooms. While roaming about the homestead this week, I spotted some of these white beauties in the field… being a very novice mushroom hunter, I automatically assumed they wouldn’t be anything super useful or even edible, but I snapped a picture and sent it along to my fungi-expert cousin anyway. Julian Milillo of Farmed and Foraged is a wealth of knowledge on most anything mushroom (and wine) related, and his passion for both subjects rivals my own passion for sheep and textiles. Like the great cousin that he is, he checked my pictures and promptly let me know that these mushrooms were a lucky find, and would indeed be edible (after cooking them, and checking to be sure I didn’t prove to be personally allergic).

They are called Agaricus campestris, or Field Mushroom, and I’ve since learned that they are the most commonly eaten wild mushroom in Britain and Ireland, and can be found in meadows grazed by sheep, cattle or horses. In the United States, they are commonly called meadow mushrooms. (Check out the end of this blog to learn more about these fascinating fungi). The presence of them here is a testament to the rich, composted soil which makes up the base of my horses’ pasture. Being inspired by my recent visit to the Kentucky Highland Renaissance Festival, I decided to put them to use in a fitting traditional United Kingdom dish- Cottage Pie. Yes, Cottage Pie is very much like Shepherd’s Pie, except it turns out that true Shepherd’s Pie is made with minced sheep meat. Being that I currently lack fresh sheep mince, I settled for beef, making this the equally delicious Cottage Pie. It came out so wonderful, I wanted to share it with everyone! (And no worries- you can substitute the wild mushies for some store-bought button mushrooms- or omit them entirely if you so please!) I hope you enjoy my version of a classic comfort food farm favorite, a rich and savory blend of traditional flavors and seasonings, with a few twists of my own.

Serena’s Homestead Cottage Pie with Mushrooms

Prep Time: 35 minutes (approx.)
Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes (approx.)
Servings: 8 - 10

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.

2. Start your potatoes. In a large pot, cover the cut potatoes in water, bring to a boil and simmer until soft and easily pierced with a fork.

3. While that simmers, start your beef mix- coat a large saucepan with 2 tbsp butter (or olive oil). Add diced carrots, onions, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring frequently. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes more. Transfer cooked mixture to a separate bowl, keep saucepan ready on the stove.

4. Place your ground beef in the same large saucepan, cook and stir until evenly browned. Drain and discard the excess fat drippings. When meat is fully cooked, stir in the beef stock, red wine, tomato paste, worchestershire sauce, thyme, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring all to a simmer, then stir in the frozen peas and your cooked vegetable mixture back in. Cook at a low simmer for 12- 15 minutes, allowing the liquids to reduce and thicken.

5. While that cooks down, drain your cooked potatoes and return to pot with 5 tbsp butter. Mash them down and slowly add milk the potaotes are thick and creamy (not too runny). Mix in garlic powder, parmesan cheese and nutmeg. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Spread your meat mixture evenly in the bottom of a medium baking pan. Then, carefully distribute your potato mash on top of the filling, and spread it across evenly with a spoon or spatula. (Tip: To prevent the mash from sinking into the filling, allow the meat to cool before topping with the mashed potato.) Sprinkle some parmesan cheese across the top.

7. Place pan in preheated oven, on upper shelf (to help the top get crisp). Bake for 25 minutes or until top is browned. (You can also turn on your broiler for the last 5 minutes to help crisp the top)

8. Enjoy with some warm, fresh bread, (bonus points if it is a traditional Scottish bread roll) and a glass of your favorite red wine. I paired this scrumptious meal with a local Kentucky grown wine from First Vineyard Winery. Delish!

Ingredients

For the beef filling:

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef

• 1 large onion, finely diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 carrots, diced in 1/4 inch pieces

• 1 cup white mushrooms, chopped (optional)

• 1 cup frozen sweet peas

• 1 1/2 cups beef stock

• 3/4 cup red wine

• 3 tbsp tomato paste

• 2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

• 1 tbsp fresh thyme, minced (can substitute dried)

• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced (can substitute dried)

• 1/2 tsp fresh tarragon, minced (optional, can substitued dried)

• salt & pepper, to taste

• 2 tbsp butter or olive oil (for sautéing)

For the mashed topping:

• 2 pounds or 7 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

• 1/2 cup milk

• 5 tbsp butter

• 2 tsp garlic powder

• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping

• salt & pepper, to taste

• pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Recipe Notes:

This Cottage Pie is an excellent “make ahead” dish, and can be frozen once assembled and then baked at a later date. To freeze, make sure the pie is completely cooled off, then cover it well with cling wrap and freeze. Always freeze the pie on the day that you make it. When you are ready to eat it, defrost it in the fridge overnight, then bake as per the recipe directions.

Foraging for the Agaricus campestris

In my research I found this article to be very helpful in finding and identifying the Field Mushroom. When foraging for any wild food, be it plant or mushroom, please do so with care and caution. Take care not to forage near roadways or in areas that may have been treated or sprayed with chemicals. If you are not familiar with the plants or fungi you’ve found, be sure to extensively research them to learn more about them (and to rule out any potentially toxic lookalikes). Remember to test a small bit of anything new you want to try to be sure you do not have an allergy. Lastly, do your best to gather responsibly, taking care to disturb our wildlife and natural surroundings as little as possible, as well as leaving some wild plants and fungi behind for nature to be able to spread and regrow them again! Happy foraging, friends! ❀