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.
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. (My meat looks weird because I've started doing 'sheet meat.' It just means I flatten my meat in a ziploc before freezing because it thaws faster)
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.
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.