Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie
Description
When autumn arrives with its beautiful colours and cooler air, we crave comfort food. One of my favourites is this vegetarian shepherd's pie: a stew rich in vegetables and lentils, topped with a melt-in-your-mouth sweet potato puree and gratinated with golden cheese. It's the ultimate guilt-free comfort food - nutritious, tasty and so good that even the most die-hard carnivores can't resist it!
Ingredients
Instructions
- TRADITIONAL METHOD
Preparation (traditional method)
1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion until golden.
2. Add the carrots and most of the thyme (save a pinch for decoration). Pour in the wine, tomatoes and stock cubes. Leave to simmer for around 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the drained lentils, cover and cook for a further 10 minutes, until the carrots are still slightly firm and the lentils have melted.
4. Meanwhile, cook the sweet potatoes in boiling salted water for 15 minutes, until tender. Drain and mash with the butter. Season to taste.
5. Spread the lentil mixture in a gratin dish. Cover with mashed sweet potatoes, sprinkle with grated cheese and the remaining thyme.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for 20 minutes (or 40 minutes if the dish is prepared in advance and refrigerated), until the top is golden and heated through.
7. Serve with a fresh green salad.
THERMOMIX® METHOD
Preparation (Thermomix version)
1. Place the olive oil and onion in the bowl and chop for 3 sec / speed 5. Remove the measuring cup and fry for 8 mins / 120°C / spoon speed.
2. Add the carrots, insert the measuring cup and chop for 3 seconds on speed 5. Add 1.5 tbsp thyme, the red wine, tomatoes and stock cube. Cook for 15 mins in the Varoma on spoon speed.
3. Put the sweet potatoes in the Varoma, place on top and cook for 15 min / Varoma / spoon speed.
4. Add the lentils to the bowl, put the Varoma back on and continue cooking for 20 min / Varoma / spoon speed.
5. Remove the Varoma and leave the lentil-vegetable mixture to thicken for 5 mins / Varoma / spoon speed without a measuring cup. Adjust the seasoning.
6. Mash the sweet potatoes with the butter and season.
7. Assemble the gratin in a dish: lentils on the bottom, mashed potatoes on top, grated cheese.
8. Bake at 170°C for 20 minutes.
