Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie with lentils

It’s that time of the year when comfort foods surface in my kitchen.  I mean come on, what’s not to love about warm autumn flavors, like a good soup, stew or curries this time of year?  Truly satisfying food doesn’t just fill the stomach, it stimulates the senses too.  I actually get quite psyched to try out new recipes that I’ve been bookmarking over the summer. There’s nothing quite like a roast in the oven, a baked apple pie with the aromas of Fall or just baking a loaf of bread or rolls keeps our kitchen and our tummies satiated.  It it is with this in mind that I tried this Vegetarian Shepherds Pie, a colorful medley of vegetables, protein filled lentils, a rich brown gravy with a splash of red wine and a crispy mashed potato topping.  Comfort in a bowl!

They say we eat with our eyes, look at those colors and all the goodness that will go into that pan of vegetables.

Doesn’t that look rich with all the flavors and colors of autumn?  A splash of wine always enriches the gravy, or so it does in our house 🙂

The green lentils added some protein to this comforting dish.  A crispy mashed potato topping to complete the dish.

A side salad, and nothing much more needed for this satisfying meal.  This will definitely be on our monthly rotation of comfort foods.  Stay tuned to Safari of the Mind to gather more such recipes.

• Servings: 4
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Ingredients

• 4 potatoes peeled and chopped
• 3 carrots peeled and chopped
• 1 leek chopped
• 1 onion chopped
• 1/3 pound mushrooms sliced
• 3/4 cup cooked green lentils
• 1 tbsp flour
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 1/3 cup red wine (secret ingredient)
• 4 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1-2 tbsp butter
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Add potatoes to a pot of boiling water with a pinch of salt and cook for 10-20 minutes until soft.
2. Heat a little oil in a large pot and add the carrots, leek and onion and cook for a couple of minutes until softened, then add the mushrooms and garlic and cooked lentils and cook for a few minutes longer.
3. Add the tomato puree, flour and thyme followed by the stock and wine.  Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes or until the sauce is thickened.
4. In the meantime mash the potatoes with milk and butter and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.  Add shredded mozzarella cheese and mix well.
5. Pour the vegetables into a baking dish and top with mashed potato.  Gently spread the potato with the back of a spoon until it covers the entire surface.  Drag a fork across the top to add a pattern if desired.
6. Place under broiler for 10 minutes or so until browned and crispy.

Recipe adapted from The Cook Report.