Vegetable Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients

• 1400 gbaking potatoes, baked whole, then peeled and riced for the topping
• salted butter, for the mashed potato topping
• milk, for the mashed potato topping
• 28 gdried porcini mushrooms, soaked in 3 cups hot water; both the mushrooms and the strained liquid go into the sauce
• brown lentils, rinsed
• 6 clovesgarlic, 1 for the lentils, 5 roasted with the vegetables and mashed into the sauce
• 1 tspsalt, for cooking the lentils, plus more to season
• onions, chopped
• 5 tbspolive oil, 3 tbsp for the sauce, 2 tbsp for roasting the vegetables
• 2 tbsptomato purée, cooked out until caramelised
• 2bay leaves, for the sauce; removed with the strained solids
• 480 mldry white wine, reduced by half in the sauce
• 1920 mlvegetable stock, reduced by half in the sauce
• 2 tbspcornstarch, dissolved in 2 tbsp cold water before adding
• miso paste, whisked into the finished sauce to taste; white or red both work
• 2 sprigsfresh rosemary, roasted with the vegetables, then discarded
• mixed vegetables (carrots, parsnips, etc.), carrots, parsnips, celeriac or similar, chopped into even chunks
• pearl onions, peeled; roasted with the vegetables
• fresh herbs (parsley, sage, chives), a small handful of each, chopped

Method

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 230°C / 450°F. Bake the potatoes on a lined tray for 45 minutes until tender. Cool slightly, peel, and press through a ricer. Stir in butter, then milk. Season. Set aside.

2. 2

   Soak the dried porcini in 3 cups of hot water and set aside for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, put the lentils in a saucepan with 1 garlic clove, 1 tsp salt and 4 cups of water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring now and then, for 15–20 minutes, until the lentils are tender but still holding their shape. Drain and discard the garlic clove.

3. 3

   Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onions for 12 minutes until soft. Add the chopped garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in the tomato purée and cook 2–3 minutes until caramelised.

4. 4

   Add the bay leaves and wine. Scrape up any browned bits. Add the porcini with their soaking liquid (leaving any grit behind). Simmer until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the stock and reduce by half again, about 45 minutes.

5. 5

   Strain the sauce into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer 5 minutes until thickened. Whisk in the miso. Season. Reserve.

6. 6

   Toss the mixed vegetables and pearl onions with 2 tbsp olive oil, 5 garlic cloves and rosemary. Season. Divide between 2 baking sheets. Roast for 20–25 minutes until tender. Mash the roasted garlic and stir into the sauce. Discard rosemary.

7. 7

   Spread the lentils in an even layer in a 3-litre baking dish and set the dish on a lined baking sheet. Toss the roasted vegetables with the chopped fresh herbs and layer them over the lentils. Pour the sauce over the top, then spoon the mashed potato evenly over everything and rough up the surface with a fork so it browns well.

8. 8

   Bake at 230°C / 450°F for 30 minutes until browned and bubbling. Rest for 15 minutes before serving.