The secret to this shepherd's pie filling is to choose big carrots so they don’t lose their texture when cooked
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, halved and sliced
- 2 large carrots (500g/1lb 2oz in total), cut into sugar-cube size pieces
- 2 tbsp thyme chopped
- 200ml red wine
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 2 vegetable stock cubes
- 410g can green lentils
- 950g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 25g butter
- 85g vegetarian mature cheddar, grated
Method
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Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan, then fry 1 halved and sliced large onion until golden.
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Add 2 large carrots, cut into sugar-cube size pieces and most of the 2 tbsp chopped thyme, reserving a sprinkling for later.
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Pour in 200ml red wine, 150ml water and a 400g chopped tomatoes, then crumble in 2 vegetable stock cubes and simmer for 10 mins.
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Tip in a 410g can green lentils, including the juice, then cover and simmer for another 10 mins until the carrots still have a bit of bite and the lentils are pulpy.
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Meanwhile, boil 950g sweet potatoes, cut into chunks, for 15 mins until tender, drain well, then mash with 25g butter and season to taste.
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Pile the lentil mixture into a pie dish, spoon the mash on top, then sprinkle over 85g grated vegetarian mature cheddar and the remaining thyme. The pie can now be covered and chilled for 2 days, or frozen for up to a month.
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Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Cook for 20 mins if cooking straightaway, or for 40 mins from chilled, until golden and hot all the way through. Serve with broccoli.