Vegetarian shepherd's pie
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- Easy
- Serves 6
Ingredients
- coconut oil, for frying
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp chilli flakes, plus 2 pinches
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp garam masala, plus 1 pinch
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 200g green lentils
- 1 bay leaf
- 600ml vegetable stock
- a bunch coriander, chopped
- 4 parsnips, peeled and quartered lengthways
- 4 (about 600g) floury potatoes, peeled and chopped
Method
- STEP 1
Heat 2 tsp coconut oil in a large pan and fry the onion, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic, chilli, cumin and garam masala, and fry for another 2 minutes.
- STEP 2
Stir in the tomato purée, green lentils, bay leaf and lots of seasoning. Add the stock, bring to a simmer and cover with a lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until the lentils are tender but not mushy. Add a splash of water if the lentils are sticking. Stir in the coriander, and a pinch more chilli flakes if you like.
- STEP 3
Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Trim and discard the woody middles from the parsnips and roughly chop the rest. Cook the potatoes and parsnips in boiling salted water for 10-15 minutes, until both are tender when pierced with a knife. Drain, leave to steam dry for a minute, then mash well.
- STEP 4
Add a pinch of garam masala, a pinch of chilli flakes and 1 tsp coconut oil, mix well, then season. Put the lentils into an ovenproof baking dish, cover with the mash, smoothing over with a fork. Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbling and the top is lightly golden. Scatter over more coriander to serve, if you like.
