Smith Sister's Favorites
Tuesday, November 14, 2023
Irish Sheperd's Pie
Irish Sheperd’s Pie, Cristie Mabey
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
16 oz mushrooms, minced
3 celery stalks, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 ½ cups brown lentils*
4 cups vegetable stock
4 springs fresh thyme or rosemary, can substitute 2 teaspoons of dried herbs
1 freezer bag mixed vegetables
3 tablespoons tomato paste, more if needed
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Freshly cracked black pepper
Salt to taste
3 lbs. mashed potatoes- almond milk, 1/4 teaspoon garlic and onion powder and white pepper
In a large Dutch oven sauté carrots and onions in a small amount of water, letting the onions caramelize. Add mushrooms, celery and garlic and sauté a bit longer. Add the remaining ingredients, except the potatoes, and simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Stir in frozen vegetables. Meanwhile cook potatoes, mash, seasoning as written. Spray a large casserole dish layering the lentil mixture followed by the mashed potatoes. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
This dish is better the 3rd day out. If heating when cold from the fridge, bake for 40 minutes at 350 or warm up in the microwave, then crisp up in an air fryer. This makes a great freezer or fridge meal. Put a portion in a take out container, label it and freeze. Defrost in advance or in the microwave, crisp up in air fryer.
*If you want to make this recipe with ground beef, use 1 1/2 lbs cooked meat. Cook the vegetables (minus the potatoes) in 2 cups broth and mix in the beef after they are soft.