Vegetarian Shepherds Pie With Polenta Topping Food

VEGETARIAN SHEPHERDS PIE WITH POLENTA TOPPING

Steps:

• 1. Put the celery, carrots and mushrooms in a medium saucepan with the oil and fry over a medium heat for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are beginning to soften and turn golden. 2. Stir in half the stock and bring to the boil. Bubble down until reduced by half then stir in the passata, lentils and remaining stock. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until all the vegetables are tender and the mixture quite thick. Leave to cool. 3. Meanwhile, make the topping, put the stock in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Slowly stir in the polenta and simmer gently until thickened. Beat in the basil, cheese and enough skimmed milk to give a soft dropping consistency. 4. Spoon the vegetable mixture into an ovenproof dish and top with the polenta. 5. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6. Reheat pies for 20 minutes until golden brown and piping hot. Cook's tips The pie can be covered and chilled for two days before re-heating. Or freeze for up to one month. Thaw overnight in fridge before re-heating. The lentil mixture can be used as a vegetarian bolognese-style sauce, served over wholemeal spaghetti or spooned into baked sweet potatoes.

VEGETARIAN SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil over high heat. Add potatoes to boiling water and boil for about 15 to 20 minutes, until soft; a knife should go in with almost no resistance.
• Meanwhile, prepare the filling: In a 10-inch oven-safe skillet with high sides or an enameled cast-iron braiser over medium-high heat, bring the lentils, thyme and 2 cups of the broth to a simmer with 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce the heat and continue to cook the lentils, partly covered, until they are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Transfer the lentils to a bowl.
• Finish the topping: In a small saucepan or a microwave oven, heat 6 tablespoons of the butter and milk together until butter melts. Drain potatoes well and return to pot. Using a masher or a ricer, mash hot potatoes until smooth. Mix in the hot butter mixture and sour cream just until blended. Stir in 1/2 of the Parmigiano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.
• Finish the filling: Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Melt the butter in the 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until they are deep golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add leeks, carrots and garlic, and continue to cook until tender, another 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the tomato paste and stir, cooking until it is well combined, another 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the mixture, stir and cook for 1 minute. Add remaining 1 1/2 cups broth, cooked lentils and peas, and cook until thickened. Remove thyme stems and stir in lemon juice to taste.
• Top the mixture with dollops of the mashed potatoes, then spread them out over the top. (Or transfer the lentil mixture to a 3-quart casserole dish and spread into an even layer, and top with potatoes.) Sprinkle with the remaining Parmigiano. Transfer to the oven and, if the mixture is at the top edges of your pan, set a foil-lined baking sheet underneath the pan to catch any drips. Bake the pie until the potatoes have begun to brown and the edges are bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

VEGETARIAN SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Make the mashed potatoes: Peel the potatoes. Boil them until fork tender (you want them to mash easily). Drain, mash, and mix in yogurt and butter. Season to taste. (You can also use the Instant Pot method which is quick and easy! That's what I do.)
• In a large oven-safe pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until fragrant. Add mushrooms, carrots, and whole herbs (you will pull the herbs out later). Sauté until carrots are softened.
• Add tomato paste and flour to the pot and stir. Pour in the red wine (sizzzzle) and scrape all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Let the wine cook out for a minute or two. Slowly add the broth, stirring it in until a gravy starts to form. Season with salt. Simmer over low heat to get it thickened even further.
• Remove the herbs. Stir in the peas, spread the mashed potatoes on top (brush with butter to be extra awesome), and bake for 15 minutes at 350. I finished mine on the broil setting for a few minutes to get it nice and brown on top.
• Scoop up a hearty serving and live your best cozy life.

VEGETARIAN SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium pot over medium. Add onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add Worcestershire, bay leaf, 4 cups water, and lentils; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until lentils are tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Stir in peas; remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place potatoes and garlic in a medium saucepan; cover with 2 inches of cold water. Season generously with salt; bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until a knife pierces potatoes easily, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain; return potatoes and garlic to pot. Add butter and milk; mash with a fork or potato masher until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Transfer lentil mixture to a 2-quart baking dish. Dollop with mashed potatoes; spread evenly to edges. Transfer to a baking sheet; bake until golden and bubbling around edges, about 15 minutes. Let stand 20 minutes; serve.

VEGETARIAN SHEPHERD'S PIE WITH POLENTA CRUST

Steps:

• In a large pan heat the olive oil. Add the veggie crumbles and sautee until dry and browned.
• Add leeks, celery, tomato paste, paprika, cayenne pepper, rosemary, black pepper and salt. Sautee for another minute.
• Add the diced tomatoes with their juice and the veggie broth. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile combine water, milk, salt and spices in a small pot and bring to a boil. Whisk in the polenta (aka coarse cornmeal). On medium heat cook for about 5 minutes whisking constantly.
• Stir in cheese and butter.
• Pour the vegetable tomato mixture into a round casserole dish (about 9 inch diameter) and top with the polenta mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven at 200°C/400°F for 12-15 minutes.
• Enjoy!

VEGETARIAN SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together broth, wine, tomato paste, and flour until evenly combined and smooth. Stir in dried mushrooms and set aside to reconstitute, at least 30 minutes. Strain mushrooms before using, reserving liquid.
• Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with heavily salted water by 2 inches. Bring potatoes to a boil and cook until fork tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Heat the oven on low broil and place a rack in the upper third. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 3 to 4-quart Dutch oven (or oven-ready saucepan) over medium-high heat. When it foams, add half the mushrooms and cook, stirring rarely, until mushrooms are browned, about 5 minutes. Remove mushrooms from pan, season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and set aside. Repeat to cook off remaining mushrooms.
• Return pan to stove over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the butter, onion, celery, and garlic, and cook until softened and golden, about 2 minutes. Add celery root, carrot, parsnip, and herbs, and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook until browned and softened, about 6 minutes.
• Add wine mixture to pan and deglaze by stirring and scraping up any browned bits. Let cook until simmering and slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in reserved mushrooms and any juices that have accumulated and simmer until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve in pan.
• When potatoes are ready, drain well. Return to pan and mash until uniformly smooth. Fold in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and milk, and season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. If necessary, keep warm over low heat.
• Dot potatoes over vegetable mixture and spread to edges of pan to cover completely. Rough up the surface of the potatoes so there are bits that will get browned and crunchy. Broil until top is golden, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve.

VEGAN SHEPHERD'S PIE WITH POLENTA AND LENTILS

Steps:

• For topping, in a large saucepan combine vegetable stock and milk. Bring to boiling over medium-high. In a medium bowl mix polenta, nutritional yeast, salt, baking soda, and black pepper. Slowly add polenta mixture to saucepan, whisking constantly to break up any clumps. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring frequently for 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed and polenta is creamy.
• For filling, in a separate saucepan combine mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until the liquid released by the mushrooms has cooked off, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add bay leaves, oregano, thyme, and 1½ cups vegetable stock. Cook over medium-low 20 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Using an immersion blender, pulse to break mushrooms into smaller pieces.
• In a small bowl, whisk together oat flour and ¼ cup of water; add to mushroom mixture. Add lentils, frozen vegetables, vinegar, parsley, and salt and pepper. Mix well. Cook until mixture thickens.
• Spread mixture evenly into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with a smooth layer of polenta.
• Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until polenta begins to turn golden brown. Garnish with parsley. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.

GOLDEN VEGGIE SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• To make the sauce, heat 50g butter in a pan, then gently fry 2 chopped onions, 4 diced carrots, 1 chopped head of celery and 4 finely chopped garlic cloves for 15 mins until soft and golden.
• Turn up the heat, add 200g sliced chestnut mushrooms, then cook for 4 mins more.
• Stir in 2 bay leaves and 1 tbsp dried thyme, then add 500g green lentils. Pour over 100ml red wine and 1.7l vegetable stock - it's important that you do not season with salt at this stage.
• Simmer for 40-50 mins until the lentils are very soft.
• Season to taste, take off heat, then stir in 3 tbsp tomato purée.
• While the lentils are cooking, tip 2kg floury potatoes into a pan of water, then boil for about 15 mins until tender. Drain well, mash with 85g butter and 100ml milk, then season with salt and pepper.
• To assemble the pies, divide the lentil mixture between all the dishes that you are using, then top with mash.
• Scatter over 50g grated cheddar and freeze for up to two months or if eating that day, heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5, then bake for 30 mins until the topping is golden.

VEGGIE SHEPHERD'S PIE WITH SWEET POTATO MASH

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan, then fry 1 halved and sliced large onion until golden.
• Add 2 large carrots, cut into sugar-cube size pieces and most of the 2 tbsp chopped thyme, reserving a sprinkling for later.
• Pour in 200ml red wine, 150ml water and a 400g chopped tomatoes, then crumble in 2 vegetable stock cubes and simmer for 10 mins.
• Tip in a 410g can green lentils, including the juice, then cover and simmer for another 10 mins until the carrots still have a bit of bite and the lentils are pulpy.
• Meanwhile, boil 950g sweet potatoes, cut into chunks, for 15 mins until tender, drain well, then mash with 25g butter and season to taste.
• Pile the lentil mixture into a pie dish, spoon the mash on top, then sprinkle over 85g grated vegetarian mature cheddar and the remaining thyme. The pie can now be covered and chilled for 2 days, or frozen for up to a month.
• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Cook for 20 mins if cooking straightaway, or for 40 mins from chilled, until golden and hot all the way through. Serve with broccoli.