Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
Published March 7, 2018
Meredith Heuer for The New York Times
- Total Time
- 1¾ hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
FOR THE TOPPING
2 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and quartered (about 3 large)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup whole milk
½ cup sour cream
½ cup packed grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese or vegetarian Parmesan (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE FILLING
¾ cup French lentils
4 sprigs thyme
3 ½ cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
4 tablespoons butter
8 ounces sliced mixed mushrooms, such as button, cremini, and shiitake
1 large leek, white part only, thinly sliced (about 1 ½ cups)
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 to 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)
62 grams carbs; 73 milligrams cholesterol; 552 calories; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 28 grams fat; 8 grams fiber; 1194 milligrams sodium; 19 grams protein; 8 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a large pot, bring a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons salt to a boil over high heat. Add potatoes to boiling water and boil for about 15 to 20 minutes, until soft; a knife should go in with almost no resistance.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, prepare the filling: In a 10-inch oven-safe skillet with high sides or an enameled cast-iron braiser over medium-high heat, bring the lentils, thyme and 2 cups of the broth to a simmer with 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce the heat and continue to cook the lentils, partly covered, until they are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Transfer the lentils to a bowl.
- Step 3
Finish the topping: In a small saucepan or a microwave oven, heat 6 tablespoons of the butter and milk together until butter melts. Drain potatoes well and return to pot. Using a masher or a ricer, mash hot potatoes until smooth. Mix in the hot butter mixture and sour cream just until blended. Stir in ½ of the Parmigiano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside.
- Step 4
Finish the filling: Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Melt the butter in the 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until they are deep golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add leeks, carrots and garlic, and continue to cook until tender, another 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the tomato paste and stir, cooking until it is well combined, another 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the mixture, stir and cook for 1 minute. Add remaining 1 ½ cups broth, cooked lentils and peas, and cook until thickened. Remove thyme stems and stir in lemon juice to taste.
- Step 5
Top the mixture with dollops of the mashed potatoes, then spread them out over the top. (Or transfer the lentil mixture to a 3-quart casserole dish and spread into an even layer, and top with potatoes.) Sprinkle with the remaining Parmigiano. Transfer to the oven and, if the mixture is at the top edges of your pan, set a foil-lined baking sheet underneath the pan to catch any drips. Bake the pie until the potatoes have begun to brown and the edges are bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Private Notes
Comments
Absolutely delicious. I hate when people change recipes, but I had no mushrooms, so doubled the carrots to four and would use six next time; used shallot instead of leek. Okay, sorry, also used up a nice bit of goat cheese instead of sour cream in the potatoes. The puy lentils make all the difference and so does a bit of Worcestershire sauce. Oh man I changed so many things, I'm one of those irritating people. But let's take it as homage—this was so good I got text messages from people
1. Add potatoes to a pan of cold well salted water, bring to a boil and cook 10 - 15 mins. Check after 10 minutes. 2. Can use half sweet potatoes, half regular potatoes. 3. Substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream. 4. Can substitute onions for leeks. 5. Can use 1/2 tsp dried thyme instead of fresh sprigs 6. Add a Tbsp or two of Panko to the grated Parmesan topping
This was a very tasty dinner on a chilly evening. The filling turned out surprisingly savory and meaty even with just cremini mushrooms instead of a mix. I admit that I used cauliflower in place of potatoes for the topping and cut the butter back to two tablespoons. No complaints from anyone. No leftovers either.
Loved this so much - even the little ones enjoyed it! It does take some time and prep, but judging by the response from everyone who ate it - it is worth the time and effort!
The filling was a bit bland because four sprigs of thyme in the lentils was doing all the heavy lifting. Adding more and different herbs to the leek, carrot and mushroom part of the base helped a lot. Also, a trick I learned a while back - add one or two thinly sliced green onions (white and green parts) to the mashed potatoes. Lastly, as someone else noted, drag a fork across the top of the potatoes after adding them to the base; it's decorative but also creates ridges that brown up nicely.
Please warn people that may make this dish for a visiting vegetarian, that it is really not vegetarian (unless they are lacto-ovo vegetarians -- ones that eat dairy and eggs). Also, if you cannot find green French lentils, use black lentils, as they too will not cook down to mush in a recipe such as this. Instead of the vegetable broth, you could use dried porcini or shitake mushrooms and use the soaking liquid with added water.
BTW, I used plain ol' Jack Rabbit lentils. They held their shape and were just fine.