Name: Lentil & mushroom shepherd’s pie with parsnip mash
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 500g chestnut mushrooms sliced; 1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil; 1 onion finely chopped; 1 carrot finely chopped; 1 celery stick finely chopped; 380g carton or 390g can green lentils drained; 175ml red wine; 400g can chopped tomatoes; 1 tbsp tomato purée; dash of Worcestershire sauce (or vegetarian alternative); 2 tsp red wine vinegar; 1 tbsp soy sauce; 200ml vegetable or mushroom stock; a few thyme leaves to serve; 500g parsnips chopped; 750g potatoes such as Maris Piper or King Edwards, roughly chopped; 100g butter; 50ml milk; 50g cheddar grated

One lentil & mushroom shepherd's pie with parsnip mash

500g chestnut mushrooms
sliced
1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1 onion
finely chopped
1 carrot
finely chopped
1 celery stick
finely chopped
380g carton or 390g can green lentils
drained
175ml red wine
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato purée
dash of Worcestershire sauce
(or vegetarian alternative)
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
200ml vegetable or mushroom stock
a few thyme leaves
to serve

For the mash topping

500g parsnips
chopped
750g potatoes
such as Maris Piper or King Edwards, roughly chopped
100g butter
50ml milk
50g cheddar
grated

Method

step 1
Heat a large pan over a medium heat and dry-fry the mushrooms for 6-8 mins until they’ve released their liquid and it’s evaporated. Drizzle in half the oil and fry for a further 5 mins or until they’ve browned lightly. Remove from the pan, leaving any oil behind.
step 2
Drizzle the remaining oil into the pan and tip in the onions, carrots and celery. Reduce to a medium-low heat, cover and cook for 8-10 mins, stirring every now and then, until the veg has softened but hasn’t browned.
step 3
Stir in the lentils and red wine and cook for 1-2 mins until the wine has cooked off a little. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, soy sauce and stock plus the cooked mushrooms. Cook for 15-20 mins until the sauce has thickened.
step 4
Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the parsnips and potatoes for 15 mins or until tender. Drain and mash until smooth then stir in the butter and milk until the butter has melted.
step 5
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Tip the lentil and mushroom mix into a large ovenproof dish then spoon over the parsnip mash and scatter over the cheese. Will keep frozen. Either defrost fully then bake, or bake for an extra 20-30 mins from frozen. Bake for 20-30 mins until golden and the sauce is bubbling. Sprinkle with thyme, if you like.