Kathleen's Shepherd's Pie
Lentil base:
- tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- mushrooms, coarsely chopped
- carrots, chopped
- any other veggies you want
- splash red wine
- 2ish cups vegetable stock
- 2ish cups dried lentils (or one can lentils)
- water
- bay leaves
- spices (rosemary, thyme, coriander, salt, pepper)
Saute whatever veggies you want in some olive oil (garlic, some mushrooms to give it a meaty flavour, and then carrots, onions, zucchini, whatever you like) on med-high heat until they are nice and brown. Pour in a generous splash of red wine. Add a couple of cups of vegetable stock, a couple cups of dried lentils (I used green but you can use whatever kind you want), and enough water to cover the lentils by an inch or two.
Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Add two bay leaves, some rosemary, thyme, coriander, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and let simmer until lentils are cooked but not mushy and the sauce has reduced (this takes maybe half an hour). You can do this part the night before and refrigerate, if you want.
Mashed potatoes:
- half head of garlic
- 2ish tbsp olive oil
- several potatoes (I like little nugget potatoes or yukon gold, but any kind will do)
- butter, margarine or oil to taste
- cream, milk, or other (I used almond milk) to taste
- salt to taste
Roast half a head of garlic (peel off the outer paper layer but leave the papery stuff around each clove, trim the ends off, pour in enough olive oil to coat each clove, wrap in tin foil, and bake in oven for 35-40 minutes at 400. Squeeze each clove out of the papery shell. You can do this in advance and freeze). Peel and dice a bunch of potatoes, boil, mash with the garlic and “holy trinity” (oil, cream, salt) until soft and fluffy.
Assembly:
- olive oil
- some delicious cheese
Coat a baking dish with olive oil. Spread the lentil base in the pan. Spread mashed potatoes over this. Grate some aged cheddar or something over the whole thing. Bake at 400 for around 20 minutes, or until lentil base is bubbling and cheese is browning.