Vegetarian Sheppard Pie

Today I found a recipe for Sheppard intending to make it for dinner tonight until I started to study the recipe and realized that it was way too much trouble. As I said before I'm busy and although I like good food I usually try to get a meal prepared in about 1/2 hour.

I studies a few other Sheppard pie recipe and came up with the following simplified and delicious Sheppard Pie recipe.

The Ingredients:

6-8 medium potatoes
2 tbsp butter
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. green lentils
 2-3 tbsp of Olive Oil
2 garlic cloves
1 large onion
1- 8oz box of whole or sliced mushrooms
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 c. apple juice or white wine
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 cup of water
1 tsp of Rosemary, Thyme, Coriander and 1 bay leaf.
Salt & Pepper
2 tbsp butter
1-2 tsp of Cornstarch
2 cups of mixed frozen vegetables thawed

Preheat the oven at 450 Degree

Peel and cook the potatoes in salted water until soft, about 15 to 20 min. You can cut them in 4 pieces since they will be mashed. When ready add the butter and milk and mash them to your taste. (keep the potato water to use in the mushroom mixture instead of plain water)
  
In the mean time put the lentils in a separate pot  in 3 cups of water, bring to boil and simmer also for about 20 min.

While the potatoes and Lentils are cooking chop the onions, the garlic and slice the mushrooms if you are not using pre-sliced mushrooms. Using a large frying pan fry the chopped onions on medium heat for about 5 minutes, then add the mushrooms and continue frying for another 10 min. Add the garlic and fry for about 1-2 minutes then add the tomato paste and cook for a few more minutes. if it starts sticking its time to add the apple juice, the water, soy sauce, herbs, the bay leaf, salt and pepper.  Simmer for about 15-20 minutes then add the lentils and mix well then  the cornstarch solution. (mix cornstarch with 1/4 cup of cold water. If it's too watery add a little more cornstarch solution but remember that it will also cook some more in the oven so it's OK if its a little watery. If it's too dry add some more water. )

Putting it all together
Poor the lentil and mushrooms mixture in a baking casserole, spread the mixed vegetables evenly over the mixture, then put the mashed potatoes on top. Put some butter on the potatoes. Cook for about 1/2 hour at 450 degree.

Bon Apetit! 


TIPS: remember to put the rest of your tomato paste in an ice cube tray sprayed with olive oil first. When they are frozen you can put them in a Ziploc bag. Each cube is about 1 tbsp and it defrost very fast. I also do that with Pesto sauce so you can just add a cube or two to your favorite soup!