Vegetable And Lentil Cottage Pie Recipes

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.

ALLOTMENT COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• In a blender, cover the porcini with 600ml of boiling water.
• Trim, wash and slice the leeks 2cm thick, then scrub the carrots, swede and celeriac and chop to roughly the same size.
• Drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil into a large casserole pan on a medium heat, strip in the rosemary, fry for 1 minute to crisp up, then remove to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Add the cumin seeds and prepped veg to the flavoured oil, season with sea salt and black pepper, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring regularly.
• Meanwhile, peel and roughly chop the potatoes, cook in a pan of boiling salted water for 15 minutes, or until tender, then drain well. Mash with the butter and milk, and season to taste.
• Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5.
• Quarter the onion, add to the porcini in the blender along with the Marmite and tomato purée and whiz until smooth.
• Pour into the veg pan and cook for 20 minutes, or until dark and caramelised, stirring regularly and scraping up any sticky bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Tip the lentils (juices and all) into the veg pan, bring to the boil, then season to taste.
• Spoon over the mash, place on a tray, bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly golden and bubbling at the edges, then sprinkle over the crispy rosemary. Serve with simple steamed seasonal greens - it's a winner!

MICHELA'S VEG & LENTIL COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Trim, wash and finely slice the leek. Peel and dice the carrot, onion and celery.
• Heat a splash of oil in a medium pan on a medium heat, add the leek, carrot, onion and celery. Pop the lid on and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until softened. Add the lentils, stock and peas, then bring to the boil, stirring regularly. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked through.
• For baby, remove a small amount to a blender (use a hand-held stick blender, if you prefer), or a bowl, then either blend to a purée, pulse, mash and/or finely chop depending on the stage your little one is at (for more information on stages of complementary feeding, click here).
• For adults, season to taste with sea salt and black pepper, then add the tomato purée. Scrub the sweet potato clean, then coarsely grate it into a bowl, toss with a little oil and a good few gratings of Parmesan.
• Transfer the filling to a 15cm x 20cm ovenproof dish and sprinkle with the sweet potato. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potato topping is golden and cooked through and the filling is piping hot.

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.

VEGETABLE AND LENTIL COTTAGE PIE

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, non-stick saute pan. Add the onions and garlic and fry for 8-10 minutes over a medium-high heat or until starting to turn golden, stirring occasionally. Pour the remaining tablespoon of oil into the pan, tip in the carrots and swede, and fry for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the lentils, tomatoes, sun-dried tomato paste, and stock. Season and simmer, covered, for 35-40 minutes over a low heat, until the carrots and swede are tender and the lentils have softened. Remove from the heat, stir in the spinach, and let it wilt. Check the sauce's consistency (see below, Moist, juicy filling). Pour the mixture into the baking dish. Leave to cool. Preheat the oven to 200oC (fan 180oC/400oF/Gas 6). Put the potatoes into a large pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, add salt, and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Put the butter and milk in the pan and warm through over a low heat. Remove from the heat, return the potatoes to the pan, and mash with the milk and butter, then whisk until smooth (see below, Smooth, creamy mash). Season, then stir in the cheese. Spread the mash over the filling (see below, Decorative topping). Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden and bubbling. KEYS TO PERFECTION Moist, juicy filling The filling should be moist with plenty of sauce, but not sloppy. Add 2-3 tablespoons of water if it's too dry. Leave the filling to cool before adding the topping, as it will support the mash better. Smooth, creamy mash The potatoes are ready for mashing when a knife goes in easily. If undercooked, the mash will be lumpy; if overcooked, it will be sloppy. Mash the potatoes with hot milk and butter off the heat, then whisk with a balloon whisk. Decorative topping Spoon the cheesy, seasoned mash over the cooled vegetable and lentil layer. Spread it evenly over the surface, making patterns like furrows with a round-bladed knife to create an attractive, textured effect. Mary Berry Cooks the Perfect is available in paperback with an exclusive tote bag from 3 November. DK, £20.00.