Veggie Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
- Onions: 3, Diced
- Carrots: 12, Diced
- Celery: 3 head, Chopped (Optional)
- Garlic: 12 Cloves, Finely chopped
- Chestnut mushrooms: 600g, sliced
- Red Lentils: 690g
- Butter
- Bay Leaf: 6 (Optional)
- Thyme: 3 tbsp
- Red wine: 300ml (Optional)
- Stock cube: 3
- Tomato purée: 9 tbsp
- King Edwards Potatoes: 1500g (Other floury potatoes will do)
- Butter: 255g
- Milk: 300ml
- Cheddar: 150g, Grated
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.
- Add the herbs, lentils, 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.
- Take off the heat and stir in the tomato purée. Season to taste.
- While the lentils are cooking, tip the potatoes into a pan of water, then boil for about 15 mins until tender.
- Drain the potatoes well, then mash with the butter and milk.
- Pour the lentil mixture into a casserole dish and top with the mash potatoes.
- Use a fork to rake the surface of the mash potatoes. This will help golden the dish.
- Scatter with grated cheddar then bake in a 190C/fan 170C oven for 30 minutes, until golden.