Shepherd's pie
We've been enjoying a crazy cheap and simple lentil stew lately, essentially it's lentils and stock boiled down together. Grated carrot gives it a fantastic texture and flavour, it makes it really rich. We also add chopped up tomato at the end if we're eating it plain with rice or something, then it has almost a minestrone flavour, it's brilliant, I haven't been able to get enough of it! Yet it's so simple and probably costs about 30p a portion. After realising that it was such a good mince substitute I decided to try it as a shepherd's pie, it was delicious! Although it's simple I thought I'd post it, just because it's so easy, cheap and tasty but also fills the comforting gap that losing shepherd's pie from your diet as a veg*an leaves. The mince also freezes and reheats really well, as I imagine pre-made shepherd's pies would too.
Vegan Shepherd's Pie
(for two, generously, because who wants shepherd's pie without second helpings or leftovers?)
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely grated
1 tbsp flour
veg stock
100g/½ cup brown lentils
(1 chopped tomato, for a fresher taste)
mashed potato (only you know how thick you like your topping!)
Fry the onion, then add the carrot and fry that too. Stir in the flour, then add the lentils and enough veg stock to cover them. Cook for roughly 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more stock/water when needed. If eating as is, stir in chopped tomato, if not then cook potatoes at the same time, drain, dry and mash. Then layer into an ovenproof dish and put under the grill to brown the top, or allow to cool and cook from the fridge for 40-50 minutes.
However, I'm a bit torn as to how to refer to it. It's like shepherd's pie but, uh, not made from their sheep! Yet lentil pie, well, that sounds a bit dry and uninteresting. Farmer's pie? Tasty pie? Slop-on-a-plate pie? Fran does call it brown slop, as it can look a little like workhouse food, but again, not really selling it there are we?
Any ideas?
Vegan Shepherd's Pie
(for two, generously, because who wants shepherd's pie without second helpings or leftovers?)
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely grated
1 tbsp flour
veg stock
100g/½ cup brown lentils
(1 chopped tomato, for a fresher taste)
mashed potato (only you know how thick you like your topping!)
Fry the onion, then add the carrot and fry that too. Stir in the flour, then add the lentils and enough veg stock to cover them. Cook for roughly 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more stock/water when needed. If eating as is, stir in chopped tomato, if not then cook potatoes at the same time, drain, dry and mash. Then layer into an ovenproof dish and put under the grill to brown the top, or allow to cool and cook from the fridge for 40-50 minutes.
However, I'm a bit torn as to how to refer to it. It's like shepherd's pie but, uh, not made from their sheep! Yet lentil pie, well, that sounds a bit dry and uninteresting. Farmer's pie? Tasty pie? Slop-on-a-plate pie? Fran does call it brown slop, as it can look a little like workhouse food, but again, not really selling it there are we?
Any ideas?