Leek and Mushroom Cottage Pie

By David Tanis

Published January 8, 2019

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
1½ hours
Rating
4(1,730)
Comments
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Traditionally, shepherd’s pie is made with minced lamb and vegetables, and topped with mashed potatoes instead of pastry. If made with beef, it is called cottage pie. So it should follow that a vegetable version could be named gardener’s pie. Filled with a saucy, savory leek and mushroom stew, it’s a pie that will please vegetarians and carnivores alike.

Featured in: When Shepherd’s Pie Loses the Lamb

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

FOR THE FILLING

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 large onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)

  • Salt and pepper

  • 4 medium leeks, tender green and white parts, split lengthwise and cut in 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 pound medium-brown or white mushrooms, quartered

  • ½ pound shiitake mushrooms, caps only, sliced ¼-inch thick

  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

  • 2 small garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

  • 2 tablespoons white miso (optional)

  • 2 cups whole milk

  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water

FOR THE TOPPING

  • 3 pounds russet or yellow-fleshed potatoes, peeled and cut in 2-inch chunks

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • ½ cup heavy cream

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1 cup homemade coarse dry bread crumbs

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 to 8 servings)

61 grams carbs; 53 milligrams cholesterol; 492 calories; 8 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 24 grams fat; 8 grams fiber; 1058 milligrams sodium; 12 grams protein; 11 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

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to color, 5 to 7 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Add leeks, a little more salt and stir to combine. Cook mixture for about 5 minutes more, until leeks have lost their crunch, but are still green. Turn off heat.

  3. Step 3

    Cook the mushrooms separately (work in batches if necessary): Put olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is wavy, add both kinds of mushrooms and sauté 2 to 3 minutes, until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat and stir in thyme, garlic and parsley, and toss to coat.

  4. Step 4

    Add mushrooms to onion-leek mixture, and turn heat to medium-high. Add miso and milk, and bring to a simmer. Stir cornstarch and water, add to mixture and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring, until sauce thickens. Transfer mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, and leave at room temperature.

  5. Step 5

    Meanwhile, boil potatoes in salted water until very soft, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes and mash with 4 tablespoons butter, then stir in cream and beat until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

  6. Step 6

    Spread mashed potatoes evenly over surface of vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Bake for 45 minutes, until bubbling and nicely browned.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,730 user ratings
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Comments

A tips from London

The secret to getting the topping right is to use cold, leftover mash. If it’s hot when you bake it, it can turn into a sludgy mess. But if it’s cold, this is when it crisps up nicely into a golden brown in the oven. Also a note on veganising recipe, cashew nuts soaked in water and then blitzed make a fine cream replacement.

Debby

I haven't made this yet, but when I do, based on the reviews here, I'm going to roast my mushrooms rather than sautee them. Roasting mushrooms at a high heat makes them chewy and meaty-tasting, plus one can do them all at once, so it's less work, and there are fewer pans taking up stove space. I'll slice them, toss them in olive oil, s&p, and a pinch of sugar and roast at 500 for 20-25 minutes, turning once. While they are in the oven, I can get the rest done while mushrooms are cooking.

Karen

Tip from a Brit: (A few dashes of) Worcestershire sauce should be as good an addition to a veggie pie as it is traditionally to Shepherd's Pie.

Tasty, but far from shepherds pie!

It was a good dish, but remotely close to anything like shepherds pie. More like a cross between creamed leeks and a mushroom casserole. But it was tasty. Needed way more seasoning though, especially thyme. This would be good to bring to a a non-vegetarian holiday meal (Thanksgiving etc) so I could be sure I’d have something hearty to eat and the others would love this as a side dish.

AMPowell

Looking forward to eating tonight with my family. The small tastes that I have had while making, to ensure enough seasoning, were delightful!

lorraine

I made this without the bread crumbs (mine had grown bad) and it was absolutely delicious. I used the miso and only a couple pounds potatoes. I was very happy with the results, as was my husband and can’t wait to make it for friends.

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