Lentil Shepherd’s Pie Recipe

Lentil Shepherd’s Pie

Original recipe: foodandnutrition.org– McKenzie Hall

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) olive oil
• ¼ cup shallots, diced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 cup green lentils, dry
• 2 cups carrots, peeled and diced
• ½ cup celery leaves, diced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 cups (950 milliliters) low-sodium vegetable stock
• 2 medium rutabagas, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat until hot. Add shallots and sauté about 2 minutes until translucent and lightly golden. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, stirring frequently for about a minute. Add lentils, carrots, celery leaves, peas, parsley, thyme, black pepper and vegetable stock to the Dutch oven. Stir with a spoon to combine. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 1 hour or until lentils are tender.
2. While the lentil mixture is simmering, place rutabaga in a large saucepan and cover completely with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes until tender. Drain the rutabaga using a colander and return to the saucepan. Add salt and mash rutabaga with a vegetable masher until smooth. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch and about 4 tablespoons of lentil cooking liquid until completely combined. Add the cornstarch slurry to the lentils and boil for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens.
4. Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Using a clean large spoon, scoop and spread mashed rutabagas on top of the cooked lentil mixture in the Dutch oven, creating a thin layer that completely covers the lentils. Place on middle oven rack and cook for about 30 minutes until lentil mixture is bubbling and mashed rutabagas are slightly crispy.