Lentil Shepherd's Pie.

Recipe: Lentil Shepherd’s Pie with Sweet Potato Mash

ingredients:

• 1 cup lentils, green or French, rinsed
• 2 lbs potatoes or sweet potato (I used 3 large potatoes and 1 sweet potato)
• 2 Tablespoons Nuttelex
• 1/4 cup soy milk
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspooon apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon ketchup
• 5 drops Tabasco sauce
• 1 cup frozen sweet corn
• Salt and pepper

method:

1. Place lentils in a medium pot and cover with an inch of cold water. Add a pinch of salt, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes until cooked. It is okay if they are not completely cooked, they will cook further later. Drain.
2. While lentils are cooking, peel and roughly chop potatoes. Place in a pot and cover with cold water. Add a teaspoon of salt to the water and bring to a boil. Simmer until potatoes are tender.
3. Drain potatoes and mash. Add Nuttelex and soy milk and season with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.
4. Heat oil in a medium pot and add chopped onion. Sautée for a few minutes until soft. Add cumin, thyme, cooked lentils, vinegar, ketchup, tabasco sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine.
5. Add 1/2 cup of water and bring lentils to a simmer. Cook for another five minutes or so, stirring often, to let the flavors come together.

assembly:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place seasoned lentils in the bottom of a medium baking dish. Spread to cover the bottom. Top with corn kernels. Add mashed potatoes on top and spread evenly. Bake for about 30 minutes until heated through. Serve hot.

CHEF'S* NOTE:

I cooked the lentils for much longer than 20 minutes...added more water/stock, a little tamari (as I like things very salty), another tbsp of tomato sauce for sweetness, and about 1 1/2 tbsp of tomato paste.  Kept adding water until everything was soft and mixed together.  Also added mushrooms to this recipe - they're 'meat for vegetarians', according to that offensively jaunty commercial.

*That's right, on this blog I refer to myself as 'chef'.  What's it to you?