Lentil Shepherd's Pie

Recipe By : Rose Elliot
Serving Size : 4

Ingredients:

225g / 8oz green or brown lentils
50g / 2oz butter or vegan margarine
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
1 x 425g / 15oz can tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley
salt & freshly ground black pepper
700g / 1 ½ lbs potatoes, cooked and mashed
a little extra butter or vegan margarine

Method:

1. Put the lentils into a large saucepan, cover with water and boil gently until tender - about 45 minutes. Drain.


2. Preheat the oven to 200C / 400F / Gas 6. Use half the butter/margarine to grease a shallow ovenproof dish.


3. Fry the onions in the remaining butter/margarine in a large saucepan for 10 minutes.


4. Add the garlic, mixed herbs, tomatoes, soy sauce, lentils, parsley and salt and pepper to taste.


5. Spoon the mixture into the dish. Spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the top, draw the prongs of the fork over the surface to make ridges and dot with a little butter or vegan margarine.


6. Bake the pie for 45 minutes, until the potato is golden brown.

Source: "Rose Elliot's Vegetarian Cookery" , 1988

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NOTES :This book is a great starting point for vegetarian cooking. Just be flexible about the cooking times, it may not take as long as the recipe states. Also, I can definitely state that dyed-in-the-wool meat eaters will enjoy this.
(I fed a bodybuilder this and he loved it.)

I also have to confess to adding cheese to the potato topping before the baking process - but we buy Vegetarian Edam for the purpose - and you really don't need another 45 minutes for this stage. Use your discretion, the lentils are usually cooked by the time you bake this.