Golden veggie shepherd’s pie
By Barney Desmazery
Cooking time
Prep: 30 mins Cook: 1 hr, 45 minsSkill level
EasyServings
Serves 10Make this comforting pie in bulk and freeze in separate servings, so you can defrost only what you need
Nutrition and extra info
Additional info
- Freezable
- Vegetarian
Nutrition per serving
- kcalories
- 449
- protein
- 19g
- carbs
- 68g
- fat
- 13g
- saturates
- 7g
- fibre
- 10g
- sugar
- 9g
- salt
- 0.59g
Ingredients
For the lentil sauce
- 50g butter
- 2 onions, chopped
- 4 carrots, diced
- 1 head of celery, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 200g pack chestnut mushrooms, sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 500g pack dried green lentils (we used Merchant Gourmet Puy lentils)
- 100ml red wine (optional)
- 1.7l vegetable stock
- 3 tbsp tomato purée
For the topping
- 2kg floury potatoes, such as King Edwards
- 85g butter
- 100ml milk
- 50g cheddar, grated
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Method
- To make the sauce, heat the butter in a pan, then gently fry the onions, carrots, celery and garlic for 15 mins until soft and golden. Turn up the heat, add the mushrooms, then cook for 4 mins more. Stir in the herbs, then add the lentils. Pour over the wine and stock – it’s important that you do not season with salt at this stage. Simmer for 40-50 mins until the lentils are very soft. Now season to taste, take off heat, then stir in the tomato purée.
- While the lentils are cooking, tip the potatoes into a pan of water, then boil for about 15 mins until tender. Drain well, mash with the butter and milk, then season with salt and pepper.
- To assemble the pies, divide the lentil mixture between all the dishes that you are using, then top with mash. Scatter over the cheese and freeze for up to two months (see tips, below) or if eating that day, heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5, then bake for 30 mins until the topping is golden.
Recipe from Good Food magazine, April 2009
Comments, questions and tips
Comments
This is wonderful!
Just be aware that not only does this make a ton of filling (I only used half and put the rest in the freezer for another pie), but the filling needs a lot more seasoning that the recipe calls for.
I added more salt and pepper plus Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste and tomato puree since my filling was a bit dry. But once I did that, it was fab. So, so good.
I made this for a church family meal and it was more popular than the usual meat versions that were also available - and most people there were meat-eaters. I followed the instructions on the lentils which said to soak them. This meant that the end result was too runny (I wondered about 1.7l of stock when I was making it). I ladled out the excess which was also delicious.
I would suggest that if you soak the lentils first, only 1 litre of stock would be needed, you could always add more if it gets dry. The recipe was delicious and has been much in demand - I directed the computer-literate people to your site and have printed it out for others.