Vegetable Shepherds Pie

Method27 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Wash and chop the fresh parsley, sage and chives. Measure one quarter cup of these chopped herbs combined, in proportions you like, and hold this single mixed-herb portion ready for the filling.

   Uses Fresh parsley as part of ¼ cup chopped mixed herbs · Fresh sage as part of ¼ cup chopped mixed herbs · Fresh chives as part of ¼ cup chopped mixed herbs

2. 2

   Step 2: Peel and cut the fall vegetables, such as squash, turnips, carrots and parsnips, into roughly half-inch pieces. Measure twelve cups in total and hold them ready to roast.

   Uses 12 cups peeled fall vegetables in ½-inch pieces, such as squash, turnips, carrots and parsnips

3. 3

   Step 3: Clean the fresh mixed mushrooms, cut them into bite-size pieces and measure two cups. Hold them separately from the dried porcini for final assembly.

   Uses 2 cups bite-size pieces mixed fresh mushrooms, separate from dried porcini

4. 4

   Step 4: Thaw the measured cup of frozen pearl onions (1 cup) and halve them. Hold them ready with the prepared roasting vegetables.

   Uses 1 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed and halved

5. 5

   Step 5: Scrub both potato varieties, keeping their skins on. Arrange all six pounds on a foil-lined baking sheet, ready to bake.

   Uses 3 lb unpeeled russet potatoes · 3 lb unpeeled Yukon Gold potatoes

6. 6

   Step 6: Preheat the oven to 450°F, about 230°C. Bake all the potatoes for about forty-five minutes or until completely tender when pierced.

   Bake both potato varieties until tender · 45 minUses All six pounds prepared potatoes

7. 7

   Step 7: Let the baked potatoes cool just enough to handle, then peel them. Press all the potato flesh through a ricer, food mill or colander into a large bowl.

   Uses All the baked potatoes

8. 8

   Step 8: Stir all the measured half cup unsalted butter into the warm riced potatoes until blended. Add milk gradually, only as needed to make a smooth, spreadable mash.

   Uses All the riced potatoes · ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes · Milk, as needed for smooth spreadable potato mash

9. 9

   Step 9: Taste the mash and add a little of the separate seasoning salt as needed. Hold it ready for topping the pie. If preparing ahead, cool briefly and refrigerate in a shallow covered container within two hours; keep chilled until assembly the next day.

   Uses All the prepared mash · Additional kosher salt for mash, sauce and roast vegetables, to taste

10. 10

    Step 10: Peel the six whole garlic cloves. Keep one ready for the lentils and five separate for roasting. Chop additional garlic and measure two tablespoons for the sauce; keep this measured chopped portion separate from the six cloves.

    Uses 6 garlic cloves, one for lentils and five for roasting · 2 tbsp chopped garlic for sauce, separate from the six whole cloves

11. 11

    Step 11: Soak all the dried porcini in three cups hot water and hold the mushrooms with their soaking liquid. In a separate saucepan combine all the dry lentils, one of the six peeled garlic cloves, the measured teaspoon kosher salt (1 tsp) and four cups lentil water.

    Uses 1 oz dried porcini mushrooms · 3 cups hot water to soak dried porcini; reserve clear soaking liquid · ¾ cup dry brown lentils · One of the six peeled cloves · 1 tsp kosher salt for lentil water · 4 cups water for lentil simmer, drained afterwards

12. 12

    Step 12: Bring the lentil pan to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not mushy. Drain the cooked lentils and discard their garlic clove. Hold the drained lentils for assembly.

    Simmer lentils until tender but not mushy · 20 minUses The assembled lentil pan

13. 13

    Step 13: Heat three tablespoons of the measured olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add all three cups coarsely chopped onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about twelve minutes until soft.

    Soften chopped onions for sauce · 12 minUses 5 tbsp olive oil:3 for onions and 2 for roasting · 3 cups coarsely chopped onions

14. 14

    Step 14: Add the separate two tablespoons chopped garlic to the softened onions and cook for one minute. Stir in all the measured concentrated tomato paste (2 tbsp).

    Cook additional chopped garlic before tomato paste · 1 minUses The complete cooked onion pot · All the additional chopped sauce garlic · 2 tbsp concentrated tomato paste

15. 15

    Step 15: Cook the tomato-paste base, stirring constantly, for two to three minutes until the paste is caramelized.

    Caramelize tomato paste in onion base · 3 minUses The complete sauce base

16. 16

    Step 16: Add both bay leaves (2) and all the dry white wine (2 cups) to the caramelized base, stirring and scraping up browned bits. Add the soaked porcini, then slowly pour in their clear soaking liquid, leaving any gritty sediment in the soaking bowl.

    Uses All the caramelized base · 2 bay leaves · 2 cups dry white wine · All the soaked porcini and clear soaking liquid, leaving sediment behind

17. 17

    Step 17: Bring the sauce base to a simmer and cook for about ten minutes until the liquid is reduced by half. Add all eight cups prepared vegetable broth, then simmer, stirring occasionally, for about forty-five minutes until reduced by half again.

    First wine reduction 10 min, then broth reduction 45 min · 55 minUses The complete sauce pot · 8 cups prepared vegetable broth

18. 18

    Step 18: Strain the reduced sauce base into a large saucepan, discarding the solids and bay leaves, then bring the strained liquid to a boil. In a separate small bowl dissolve all the measured cornstarch (2 tbsp) in the two tablespoons slurry water.

    Uses All the reduced sauce base · 2 tbsp cornstarch · 2 tbsp water for cornstarch slurry

19. 19

    Step 19: Stir the prepared cornstarch slurry into the strained sauce. Simmer for about five minutes until thickened, then whisk in all two teaspoons gluten-free tamari soy sauce.

    Simmer strained sauce with cornstarch until thickened · 5 minUses All the strained sauce and prepared slurry · 2 tsp gluten-free tamari soy sauce

20. 20

    Step 20: Taste the thickened sauce and season with the separate extra kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Hold it ready for the roasted garlic and final assembly.

    Uses All the finished thickened sauce · Additional kosher salt for mash, sauce and roast vegetables, to taste · Freshly ground black pepper for sauce and roast vegetables, to taste

21. 21

    Step 21: Heat the oven to 450°F, about 230°C. Toss all the prepared fall vegetables and pearl onions with the remaining two tablespoons olive oil, the five reserved whole garlic cloves and both rosemary sprigs (2). Season with the separate extra salt and pepper to taste.

    Uses All the prepared roasting vegetables · All the prepared pearl onions · 5 tbsp olive oil:3 for onions and 2 for roasting · The five remaining peeled cloves · 2 rosemary sprigs, each about 4 inches long · Additional kosher salt for mash, sauce and roast vegetables, to taste · Freshly ground black pepper for sauce and roast vegetables, to taste

22. 22

    Step 22: Divide the complete roasting mixture between two rimmed baking sheets. Roast for twenty to twenty-five minutes, stirring once, until the vegetables are tender.

    Roast vegetables and garlic until tender · 25 minUses All the prepared roasting mixture

23. 23

    Step 23: Lift the five roasted garlic cloves into a small bowl, mash them with a fork and stir all the mashed garlic into the held sauce. Remove and discard the rosemary sprigs. Hold the remaining roasted vegetables separately from the garlic-enriched sauce.

    Uses All the roasted mixture · All the held sauce

24. 24

    Step 24: Keep the cooked lentils, roasted vegetables, sauce and potato mash separate until assembly. If preparing them a day ahead, cool briefly and refrigerate each in a shallow covered container within two hours; keep chilled until assembly the following day.

    Uses All cooked lentils · All roasted vegetables and sauce kept separately · All prepared mash

25. 25

    Step 25: Set a three-quart ovenproof dish on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet; use an additional ovenproof dish if necessary so the full filling and topping fit without overfilling. Spread all the cooked lentils in an even layer. Toss all the roasted vegetables with the prepared fresh mushrooms and quarter cup mixed herbs, then layer this mixture over the lentils.

    Uses All the cooked lentils · All the roasted vegetables · All the prepared fresh mushrooms · All the prepared combined mixed herbs

26. 26

    Step 26: Pour all the prepared garlic-enriched sauce over the layered filling. Spoon all the potato mash evenly over the top, dividing it between dishes if more than one was needed.

    Uses All the layered filling · All the sauce · All the potato mash

27. 27

    Step 27: Bake at 450°F, about 230°C, for about thirty minutes until the topping is browned and the filling is bubbling and thoroughly hot throughout. If using chilled components, continue as needed until the centre reaches 74°C/165°F. Let the cooked pie stand for fifteen minutes before serving as ten portions.

    Bake assembled shepherd pie until browned and bubbling · 30 minUses The complete assembled pie