Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Sacha's Veggie Shepherd's Pie

When The Telephone Bar in the East Village closed down last year I had to get creative and start making my own version of a veggie shepherds pie to satisfy my "mother-land" creature comforts.  Nothing says cozy-nourishing-winter-eating to me more than this dish.  So after a few trials I think I've nailed it.  Hope you'll give this a try.  It's very simple to make, trust me, even though there are quite a lot of words!  My recipe makes 6-8 servings, (depending on how big your plate is of course) -  it makes suberb left-overs and is also good to make for a dinner party, as you may prepare it ahead of time and warm it to order.   Much like a veggie chili, or any of my recipes really - take out vegetables that don't speak to you, and/or add ones you love.  Play around and make it your own.  What you will need: A heat resistant "lasagne" type baking pan, with sides and/or a few individual ones - I usually make a medium one and a few small ones for left-over days.  (Individual size pictured above) A potato masher is nice, but a large fork will do fine if you don't have one! Ingredients: Do yourself and the planet a favour, and buy organic whenever possible. 1 cup of french lentils 3 cups of fitered tap water 1 tsp cumin bay leaf (or two) 1 tsp smoked paprika half tsp of dry oregeno (or fresh if you prefer and can find it this time of year) half tsp of dry cilantro (ditto above) a pinch of red pepper flakes 2 medium sized carrots 3 or 4 large sweet potatoes aka yams (you can mix in regular potatoes too if you like.  If you do that put the regular kind in to boil a couple of minutes before the yams as they take a little longer to cook) butter (please, only buy dairy from grass fed, humanely raised cows/goats/sheep milk) olive oil black or white pepper sea salt 1 large can of fire-roasted tomatoes 1 zucchini sea salt 1 small green bell pepper - 1 small jalapeno pepper A few large leaves of kale or collard greens** 3 or 4 shitake mushrooms butter and olive oil A little grated sharp Cheddar cheese A little finely chopped fresh cilantro for the topping (or dried if you can't find the fresh stuff) What to do: First of all you'll start to cook the french lentils. Unlike other legumes you won't need to soak them.  Rinse them under running water in a sieve and look for small stones that sometimes are found in lentils.  You will want three times the water to lentils in a pot.  In this instance, 3 cups of water to one cup of lentils. Add your cumin, bay leaf or leaves, smoked paprika, oregeno, cilantro. Bring to boil then straight away turn the flame down to just a simmer. DON'T ADD SALT AT THIS STAGE.  Legumes stay hard and inedible if salt is in the cooking-water in the early stages, so wait until they're cooked. Generally lentils take 30-40 minutes to cook but keep an eye on them as it really is more determined by how low your flame goes.  After they've been simmering for about 20 minutes add the sliced carrots to your lentils so they may cook along with the lentils.  At about this point in the evening, turn your oven on to 350F. Meanwhile, while your lentils are cooking you will begin to prepare your mash potato for the top layer.   Peel and cut up your sweet potatoes (and regular potatoes if you are including these).  Make small cubes for faster cooking.  I leave the skins on new potatoes but at this time of year I prefer to peel.  This is really a personal preference.   Put your potatoes in water in a pan and boil until they are cooked (they don't take too long) then strain off the water. Put them back in the pot you cooked them in (sans water) and add some butter and olive oil, salt and pepper, and get mashing.  If you don't have a masher you can use a fork. Some people like to add milk but I don't think this is necessary. While your potatoes are cooking you can start on the other prep.  You'll chop your garlic and leek, slice your zuchini, dice your peppers, finely chop your kale or collards and set them aside for when you need them.  I like to use small bowls for each, and pretend I'm on a cooking show!  It adds to the pleasure and fun of cooking.  Sure it's a bit of a pain to wash some extra dishes but I think it's an indulgence worth going for!  The more fun you make cooking the less of a chore it will seem and the better your meals will taste.  Smile while making dinner! Because you have a couple of things cooking at the same time it does require a little time management and keeping an eye on things so nothing overcooks, but don't let that intimidate you, really, it's wonderfully simple stuff.   In a large pan you will sauté some garlic in olive oil.  Be sure not to let it burn.  You may even add a splash of water here.  Then add your leeks and zucchini, and stir.  Now add your can of fire roasted tomato sauce (in tomato season you can add fresh, but it's winter folks!)  Add a generous pinch of sea salt and bring the flame to a low simmer.  Add your diced bell pepper and jalapeno peppers now and cover to simmer so the tomato sauce will soak up all the lovely flavours.  If you have a favourite spice, add it.  I am smoked paprika crazy right now so that's my spice of choice.  I also added a little extra red pepper flakes here.  As always, a personal choice. Once the lentils have finished cooking, strain all the water off and add them to the sauté-pan of tomato sauce and such.  *Add the chopped greens now too, though if you prefer you may want to have them on the side, it's up to you.  Stir all the ingredients together very well.  Cover once more and allow to slowly simmer on a very low heat.  If you have a thin-bottomed sauté-pan please do be careful not to let things burn.  Taste it to see if it needs more of anything - maybe a little more salt to bring out all the flavours?  Maybe a little more spice?   In a separate pan you will sauté your sliced mushrooms in a little butter and olive oil. Now begins the construction of the shepherds pie.  The lentils/tomato will be the first layer.  I like to make this about two-thirds of the baking dish.  Then you add a thin layer of the sauteed mushrooms.   Your top layer is the mashed sweet potato.*  Smooth it off to look pretty, then bake in the oven at 350F for about 20 minutes.  Then take out of the oven, add a sprinkling of cheddar cheese and put back in the oven for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the shepherds pie is good and baked.   * depending on your pan, the size of your potatoes, etc., you may have left over lentils, or mash, you can just warm those up and have on their own (just a heads up - you haven't done anything wrong, this is cooking not baking!) When you are ready to serve it, sprinkle the top with a little dusting of smoked paprika and finely chopped fresh (or dry) cilantro.   You may serve with a side of greens - perhaps a salad, or some cooked greens, or just on it's own.  If you are British, you will likely want some HP sauce or Branston Pickle with this!  You will want to go back for more straight away, it's SO good.  But I suggest waiting at least 10 minutes so you realize how full you are, and have more tomorrow.