Shoyu-koji Cottage Pie

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Course Main Course

Cuisine British

Servings 2

Ingredients

300 g minced beef
30 g shoyu-koji (10% of the weight of the meat)
1 onion (finely chopped)
½ carrot (finely chopped)
½ celery stick (finely chopped)
1 garlic clove (finely chopped)
1 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)
1 tsp dried thyme

Seasoning

1 tbsp tomato purée
2 tbsp shoyu-koji
100 ml water
1 bay leaf
black pepper (to taste)

Mashed Potato

4 medium size potatoes (choose a variety suitable for mash)
1 tbsp shio-koji
2 tsp miso paste (rice miso)
50 ml milk
30 g salted butter
Parmesan cheese (to taste)
black pepper (to taste)

Instructions

Marination

Marinate the meat: Place the minced meat and shoyu-koji into a bowl. Mix thoroughly until the koji is evenly distributed throughout the meat. Cover tightly with cling film to seal in the flavours and leave to marinate in the fridge overnight.

Method

Bring to room temp: Remove the marinated minced meat from the fridge and allow it to come up to room temperature.
Prep the aromatics: Finely chop the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic.
Brown the meat: Heat a splash of olive oil in a frying pan and fry the minced meat on its own over a medium heat. Once it is fully cooked through, transfer the meat to a plate and set aside.
Sauté the vegetables: Using the same oil left in the pan, fry the chopped onion, carrot, and celery.
Build the flavour base: Once the vegetables are tender (give them a taste first!), add the garlic, dried thyme, and shoyu-koji to season. Fry over a low heat for a minute or two until the garlic becomes beautifully fragrant.
Combine and enrich: Return the browned meat to the frying pan, add the tomato purée, and stir well to combine all the ingredients.
Simmer and reduce: Pour in the water and add the bay leaf. Simmer gently over a medium-low heat until the liquid has beautifully reduced and thickened.
Finish the filling: Stir in a generous grind of black pepper to taste, then remove the pan from the heat.

Mashed Potatoes

Boil the potatoes: Peel the potatoes and cut them into quarters. Place them in a saucepan, cover with water, and add the shio-koji directly to the water. Boil until the potatoes are completely tender.
Prep the milk: While the potatoes are boiling, completely dissolve the miso into the milk. Give it a quick taste to check the seasoning!
Steam and mash: Drain the boiled potatoes well and let them sit in the colander for about 3 minutes to steam-dry. While they are still warm, mash them thoroughly with a potato masher.
Make it smooth: Add the butter and the miso-infused milk to the potatoes, then mix vigorously until completely smooth and creamy.
Season: Finish the mash by folding in a handful of grated cheese and adding black pepper to taste.

Finishing Touches

Layer the base: Spread the rich meat filling evenly across the bottom of a heatproof baking dish, then grate a light layer of cheese directly over the top.
Add the “roof”: Top the meat with the smooth mashed potatoes, smoothing it out to the edges. Use the prongs of a fork to create textured patterns across the top—these ridges will catch the heat and crisp up beautifully in the oven.
Bake to golden: Bake in an oven preheated to 200°C for 20–25 minutes. Once the top is bubbling and gloriously golden brown, remove from the oven and serve hot.

Notes

Pro-tip: During the marinating process, the active enzymes in the shoyu-koji break down the proteins, causing the minced meat to bind together tightly. If you prefer a traditional, loose mince texture, take a moment to break it up thoroughly with a spatula before and during frying. However, if you enjoy a more rustic, textured bite with juicy, savoury morsels throughout, simply let it cook as it is—it is just as delicious!