Elevated Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie with Root Vegetable Mash

A sophisticated vegetarian shepherd's pie featuring a rich, savory lentil and mushroom base packed with various vegetables, topped with a creamy, multi-root vegetable mash.

Ingredients

Preparation

1. 1.Rinse the brown lentils under cold water.
2. 2.Clean the chestnut mushrooms and slice them.
3. 3.Peel and dice the carrot, celery stalk, parsnip, swede, and potato into 1 cm cubes.
4. 4.Wash and thinly slice the leek.
5. 5.Mince the garlic cloves.
6. 6.Pick the leaves from the fresh thyme and rosemary sprigs and finely chop them.
7. 7.Finely chop the fresh parsley.
8. 8.Measure out the frozen peas, tomato purée, vegetable stock, olive oil, unsalted butter, and whole milk.
9. 9.Measure out the salt, black pepper, and nutmeg.

Instructions

1. 1.Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/Gas Mark 4).
2. 2.Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe pan or casserole dish over medium heat.
3. 3.Add the diced carrot, celery, parsnip, swede, and potato to the pan and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened.
4. 4.Stir in the sliced mushrooms, leek, and minced garlic. Cook for another 5 minutes until the mushrooms have softened.
5. 5.Add the rinsed lentils, chopped thyme, chopped rosemary, and tomato purée to the pan. Stir well to combine.
6. 6.Pour in the vegetable stock, bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
7. 7.Stir in the frozen peas and chopped parsley. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.
8. 8.While the lentil mixture is cooking, prepare the root vegetable mash.
9. 9.Place the diced potato, parsnip, and swede in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until very tender.
10. 10.Drain the cooked vegetables thoroughly.
11. 11.Return the drained vegetables to the saucepan. Add the unsalted butter and whole milk. Mash until smooth and creamy. Season with salt, black pepper, and nutmeg to taste.
12. 12.Spoon the lentil and vegetable filling into an oven-safe dish if not already in one.
13. 13.Carefully spread the root vegetable mash over the lentil filling, ensuring it covers the entire surface.
14. 14.You can create a decorative pattern on top of the mash using a fork.
15. 15.Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
16. 16.Remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes before serving.