This vegetarian version of the ever-popular shepherd’s pie is an equally hearty dish for a cold winter’s evening.
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
- 1 kg/2 lb potatoes, cut into chunks
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, roughly chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 2 carrots, coarsely grated
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
- 115 g/4 oz mixed mushrooms, chopped
- 2 x 400-g/14-oz cans lentils, rinsed and drained
- 600 ml/1 pint vegetable stock (see p. 14)
- 1 tsp yeast extract
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
- salt
- dried breadcrumbs, for sprinkling
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. cook the potatoes in a large saucepan of lightly salted boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain and leave to cool, then mash with the olive oil.
- Put the onion, green pepper, carrots and garlic into a large frying pan with the sunflower oil and cook for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the mushrooms and lentils and cook for a further 2 minutes, then add the stock, yeast extract, bay leaves and mixed herbs and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaves and transfer the lentil mixture to a shallow baking dish. Cover with the potatoes and sprinkle over some breadcrumbs. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. Serve immediately.
