vegan lentil shepherd’s pie

Now that my morning commute contains rolling from my bed to the downstairs office, I’m lacking considered one of my favourite issues concerning the morning pressure in, podcasts. I enroll in about a zillion of them and they’re the quantity one purpose that no, I can't take a photograph of my dinner simply due to the fact I don’t have any extra room.

The different day, as I was operating errands round town, I stuck up on considered one of my favourite foodie podcasts from Bon Appetit. I ought to have binge-listened to no less than 10 episodes confirming my fears that now not in simple terms might I spend my complete day speaking about food, but listening to it as well.

INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 cup chopped leeks (can exchange white onion) 1 cup chopped carrots 1 cup chopped celery 3 garlic cloves, chopped 1 cup inexperienced (or brown) lentils 3 cups vegetable broth (I love Pacific Foods low-sodium broth) 2 bay leaves 1 package contemporary thyme 1 stem contemporary rosemary 3 tablespoons tomato paste 2 kilos yukon gold potatoes, chopped into 1” pieces 1 teaspoon salt 1/2–3/4 cup unsweetened soy milk (or different unsweetened flavor) 1/4 cup dairy-free butter, melted 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1 cup frozen peas INSTRUCTIONS Heat the olive oil in a huge nice pan (like a Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and a pinch of salt and freshly floor pepper. Cook for 10 minutes till vegetables are smooth and tender. Add within the garlic, lentils, vegetable broth, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary and deliver to a boil. Reduce warmth to a low, conceal and simmer for 30-35 minutes till lentils are tender. Stir each 5 minutes or so, making certain vegetables aren’t sticking to the backside of the pan. You might want so as to feature extra vegetable broth/water- I desire to bounce with 3 cups broth and go from there, you might use as much as four cups. Once lentils are cooked, whisk within the tomato paste. While the lentils are cooking, make the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan and conceal by 1-inch with water. Stir within the salt and deliver water to a boil. Reduce warmth to medium and simmer potatoes till they're fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the water from the potatoes and cross them whereas they're nonetheless hot by means of a meals mill or ricer. Place the potatoes once more within the medium saucepan and stir within the milk and melted butter. Season to style with salt and freshly floor pepper. Remove the bay leaves, thyme bundle, rosemary and discard from the lentil combination and stir within the peas. Preheat the broiler. Transfer the lentil combination to a 9×13 baking dish. Spread the mashed potatoes over the lentils in an even layer. Place the baking dish underneath the preheated broiler and broil till the potatoes are golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes.

 I assume that’s the hallmark of actually huge meals writing, if I’m riding to the shop after listening to or studying about your dish, process properly done.

So, as I tuned into BA’s Thanksgiving podcast NULL weeks after the real holiday, I was smitten with the concept of home made mashed potatoes. They talked about simmering the potatoes, putting them by means of a ricer after which gently stirring in hot cream and butter. Yes, yes, yes. Suddenly, I couldn’t consider the concept of now not consuming mashed potatoes for dinner that night. Thankfully, I had also binge watched sufficient Food Network over the weekend to understand that a vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie was also in my forecast.

The key to those exceptionally pale and fluffy mashed potatoes is a ricer or meals mill. I own a ricer for my gnocchi-making afternoons, but I assume it’s considered one of the simplest objects on the market to supply the greatest mashed potatoes. Never once more will you endure from glue-like, lumpy mashers. After a quickly run by means of the ricer, I literally simply stir in milk and melted butter. This technique is foolproof.

You understand how I actually experience about casserole-y issues topped with carbs. In that I love them. Since soup is considered one of my meals groups, it’s in simple terms herbal that topping a thick, stew-like base with carbs is my concept of the greatest meal ever. (Um, see also Tamale Pie, Vegetable Stew with Scallion Biscuits).

After studying this record at the fable of simple cooking, I understand to now not the the E phrase round lightly. But, for such a complicated watching dinner, this undoubtedly borders on uncomplicated. If you'll be able to make soup and mashed potatoes, you'll be able to make this.

DESCRIPTION
Lentil Shepherd’s Pie! A rich, vegan lentil stew topped with home made mashed potatoes.

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