Lentil Shepherd's Pie

Method

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1. Heat a large pan over high heat with no oil and add the mushrooms. Cook 6 minutes without much stirring, until they release their liquid, the pan dries and they begin to squeak and brown.

   Mark done

2. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil, the onions, carrots and celery, and cook 12 minutes over medium heat until soft and starting to colour.

   Mark done

3. Add the garlic for 1 minute, then the tomato purée, and cook 3 minutes until it turns brick red and sticks slightly.

   Mark done Start 1 min timer

4. Pour in the wine and let it bubble hard for 3 minutes, scraping the base clean.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

5. Add the lentils, stock, soy sauce, Marmite, thyme, bay, salt and pepper. Simmer, part-covered, 35 minutes until the lentils are tender and the mixture is thick enough to hold a channel behind the spoon.

   Mark done

6. Meanwhile boil the potatoes in salted water from cold, 18 to 20 minutes, until a knife slides in with no resistance. Drain and steam dry in the pan for a minute.

   Mark done Start 18 min timer

7. Mash with the olive oil first, then the warm plant milk, salt, white pepper and nutmeg. Oil before liquid, exactly as with butter.

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8. Fish out the bay leaves, tip the filling into a 3 litre dish, and spread the mash over in spoonfuls, sealing it right to the edges.

   Mark done

9. Ridge the top with a fork — the ridges are what crisp — and bake at 200°C / 400°F for 30 minutes until browned and bubbling at the edges. Rest 10 minutes.

   Mark done Start 30 min timer

Chef’s Tips

• Brown the mushrooms dry before any oil. It is the single biggest source of savour in the dish.
• Seal the mash to the edges of the dish or the filling boils up the sides.
• The filling is better made a day ahead and is a good stew in its own right.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried thyme at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Pairing Suggestions

• Buttered greens or peas
• A glass of Rioja
• Pickled red cabbage

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 4 days. Freezes assembled and unbaked for 3 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.