Vegetarian Lentil Shepherd's Pie

This lentil shepherd's pie uses green lentils, instead of the red lentils which makes it special. 

It's flavoured with fresh thyme, bay leaf, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce. 

It's a pleasant dish which will definitely comfort you any day. 

This is a vegetarian recipe is one that I've wanted to make for many years. 

I'm not sure about you, but recipe ideas sometimes lay dormant in my mind for years (yes, years!) and then finally they pop to life and I have to cook them. This is one of those recipes. 

Vegetarian Lentil Shepherd's Pie

Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 carrots, diced
2 celery sticks. diced
10 white mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 cup frozen green peas
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs fresh thyme stems
1 cup green lentils, picked clean and rinsed well
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Mashed Potatoes:

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven. When oil is hot, add onions and sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute.  

Add mushrooms, carrots and celery and sauté 5 more minutes. Stir in green lentils.

Sprinkle flour on top, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce. 

Then, stir in vegetable broth, bay leaf and thyme Bring to a boil and then turn down heat and simmer 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add frozen peas and season with salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf and thyme stems.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

While the lentil mixture is stewing, bring a big bowl of water to a boil. 

Add potatoes and cook until soft. Remove from heat and drain. 

Pour the cooked potatoes back into the pot and mash, adding butter and milk. 

Add Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper

Spoon mashed potatoes on top of cooked lentils and bake for 30 minutes.