Well I took out ground beef because I had a hankering for curry but I’ve been making it at least once a week lately and I could tell that Gen was getting tired of it. (I will absolutely post that recipe next week)
Instead, I decided to make shepherd’s pie with our last round of ground beef. Gen also had boiled some lentils so I decided to mix those into the meat for a slightly healthier twist. This recipe was delicious, Gen loved it and I finally got my salting figured out (I tend to under-salt while cooking… I forget to salt).
Anyway, I am pretty thrilled with this dish but sadly my camera was dead so I used the iPad and have shoddy photos.
Shepherd’s Pie
Potato top:
- 2 pounds potatoes quartered (I live the skins on for nutrients and texture… also I am lazy and Gen likes them)
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 cup cream (milk or chicken broth for a lighter version)
- salt & pepper, to taste (for the potatoes and meat)
Meat and lentil filling:
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 1 1/2 pounds extra-lean ground beef
- 1 cup boiled lentils
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tsp chopped garlic
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup beef broth (I used Better Than Bouillon beef base)
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- handful chopped parsley
Directions
- Boil potatoes in water with salt until tender, 12-15 minutes. When cooked, drain and dump back into the pot. In a small bowl combine sour cream, egg yolk, salt, pepper, and cream. Pour sour cream mixture over the potatoes and mash until smooth.
- While potatoes boil, drop the coconut oil into a large skillet, add ground beef. Season the meat with salt and pepper; cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain excess fat from pan.
- Add lentils to the meat and stir to combine.
- Add chopped carrot, onion, and garlic to the beef. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the onions and carrots have begun to soften.
- In a small skillet, over medium heat melt butter and whisk in flour until a roux is formed. Whisk in beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Cook the gravy down for 5 minutes or until thickened.
- Pour gravy over the meat and vegetable mixture. Stir in peas. (Pop a few frozen peas in your mouth too, they are so sweet and delicious!)
- Turn broiler to high. Fill a glass casserole dish with meat mixture and cover with potatoes.
- Sprinkle potatoes with paprika and broil until potatoes are brown (5-10 minutes).
- Remove dish from oven, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.
I think next time I will do half-and-half with lentils and beef.
Veganized!
Shepherd’s Pie
Potato top:
- 2 pounds potatoes quartered (I live the skins on for nutrients and texture… also I am lazy and Gen likes them)
- 2 tbsp tofu sour “cream”
- 2 tbsp Earth Balance
- 1/2 cup veggie broth
- salt & pepper, to taste (for the potatoes and protein)
Protein filling:
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 2.5 cups ground TVP (or all lentils!!! Yum!!)
- 1 cup boiled lentils
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tsp chopped garlic
- 2 tbsp Earth Balance buttery
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup veggie broth
- 2 tsp nutritional yeast
- 2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce (or hot sauce if you don’t want to make the effort)
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- handful chopped parsley
Directions
- Boil potatoes in water with salt until tender, 12-15 minutes. When cooked, drain and dump back into the pot. In a small bowl combine tofu sour “cream”, Earth Balance, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup veggie broth. Pour tofu sour cream mixture over the potatoes and mash until smooth.
- While potatoes boil, drop the coconut oil into a large skillet, add ground TVP. Season the TVP with salt and pepper; cook over medium-high heat until browned. Drain excess oil from pan.
- Add lentils to the TVP and stir to combine.
- Add chopped carrot, onion, and garlic to the TVP and lentils. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the onions and carrots have begun to soften.
- In a small skillet, over medium heat melt Earth Balance and whisk in flour until a roux is formed. Whisk in veggie broth, nutritional yeast, and vegan Worcestershire sauce (or hot sauce). Cook the gravy down for 5 minutes or until thickened.
- Pour gravy over the filling. Stir in peas. (Pop a few frozen peas in your mouth too, they are so sweet and delicious!)
- Turn broiler to high. Fill a glass casserole dish with filling and cover with potatoes.
- Sprinkle potatoes with paprika and broil until potatoes are brown (5-10 minutes).
- Remove dish from oven, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.
I was thinking of doing a lentil shepherd’s pie this weekend, so you obviously read my mind. I have all the ingredients except potatoes, although I have frozen shredded hashbrowns, hmm… Oh, and I also like to add miso paste and/or Bragg’s aminos into the protein filling for extra salty/umami-ness, but have not tried it with nooch, You’ve inspired me to experiment!
Oooh that sounds like a good plan.
Check out this: I found this recipe for mashed potatoes from frozen hashbrowns… solution to your problems!
Sounds (and looks) amazing!
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