There’s something about warm, saucy food and mash that makes all your winter worries just disappear. This Lentil and Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie https://bit.ly/2qUuTMi is absolutely the ticket when things are icy outdoors. It’s vegan, but you can use ordinary dairy products if you prefer. #pie #lentils #vegan #vegetarian #familyandfriends #warm
Lentil and Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients
8 large potatoes
2tbsp vegan butter
½ cup rice milk
salt to taste
2tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
170g Portabellini mushrooms, sliced
2x400g cans lentils, lightly drained
2tbsp dry red wine, optional
1-2tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
2-3tbsp all-purpose seasoning blend
½tsp dried thyme
freshly ground pepper to taste
3tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot
200g baby spinach or rocket leaves
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
Method
1 Peel and dice the potatoes. Place in a large saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to a small mixing bowl.
2 Stir the vegan butter into the potatoes until melted, then add the rice milk and mash until fluffy. Season with salt, cover, and set aside until needed. Heat the oven to 200ºC.
3 While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and mushrooms and continue to sauté until the onion is golden.
4 Add the lentils and their liquid and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the optional wine, soy sauce, seasoning blend, thyme and pepper. Cook gently for 5 minutes. Combine the cornstarch with just enough water to dissolve in a small container. Stir into the lentil mixture.
5 Add the spinach, a little at a time, cooking just until it’s all wilted down. Remove from the heat; taste to adjust seasonings to your liking.
6 Lightly oil a 2-litre (preferably round) casserole dish, or two deep-dish pie plates. Scatter the breadcrumbs evenly over the bottom. Pour in the lentil mixture, then top with spinach and spread the potatoes evenly over the top. If using two pie plates, divide each mixture evenly between them.
7 Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the potatoes begin to turn golden and slightly crusty. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, then cut into wedges to serve.