Cottage Pie: Emory Cottage

Ingredients

• About 1-1/4 pounds lean stewing beef (or lamb!)
• cooking oil
• beef broth
• about 1/2 cup red wine (optional)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste or 3 tbsp catsup
• About a cup of chopped yellow onion
• butter
• 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 1 tsp dried rosemary leaves (optional)
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 tsp basil leaves
• 2-3 garlic cloves (optional)
• 2-4 tbsp flour or corn starch
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
• 3/4 cup frozen corn kernels
• About 3-1/2 pounds of starchy potatoes like Russets
• Butter, three to six tbsp.
• Cream or half-and half, about a cup.
• Lawrey's Seasoned salt.
• About 4 oz by weight shredded Cheddar cheese