Vegetarian Sheperd's Pie

Last week, a new lady at work started. Last Friday, she discovered I was a vegetarian when I grimaced at the beef stock in some soup I was about to eat for lunch. Shortly after, I received the age-old question asked by many when I reveal I am a vegetarian;

"So what do you eat? Just vegetables?".

Come on guys, it's 2011.

Vegetarian Sheperd's Pie, I've found, is one of those vegie dishes that even the meat eaters will get into. Make something hearty and warm, add mushrooms (or any protein that isn't tofu), and top it with cheese and most meat eaters will dig in.

Here is my version, sans quantities (sorry, I just can't do quantities for dishes I invent), and with a little touch of poor quality photography. True Nat style.

Fry off some diced onion, celery, zucchini & eggplant. At the end, add either fresh sliced mushrooms, or the champignons in the can (fresh is better, but whatever you have will be fine).




Add a can of diced tomatoes, a good wad of tomato paste, a can of rinsed brown lentils, a bay leaf, some thyme, and a tablespoon or so of hoi-sin sauce (trust me). Season. Add water until the mixture resembles a chunky soup and then simmer until a third reduced.

About now, be making mash potato.




Spoon mixture into large ramekins (remember to remove thyme sprigs & bay leaves). It will be more filling than it appears (with 'just vegetables'), so don't go too crazy with the servings.




Top with mashed potato and cheese. I like to use tasty or mozarella, with a sprinkle or parmesan, but most cheeses will work.

Put in the oven and bake at 160c. If it starts to dry out before the cheese is melted & browning, place it under a grill for a couple of minutes before serving.




Go outside to throw your scraps in your compost to discover you threw a fork in there yesterday.





Serve pies with a side salad and a big glass of red wine.
(and remember to tell your family or guests that the ramekin is too hot to touch!)

I love this recipe because I keep all of the ingredients in my house on a permanent basis.

Are you a vegetarian who adapts meat dishes?

Stay well,

Nat x

Carrot & Potato Soup

A friend of mine gave me this years ago over a chat conversation because she'd just cooked it and loved it. I made it within the week because it seemed relatively easy and now it is a regular in any household kitchen I am a part of. This soup is easy, healthy (if you still believe white potatoes are the devil, please stop), and really, really yummy. Good enough for a dinner party, easy enough to make after work - my kind of soup! I always serve it with crusty bread, usually with olives through it.

Carrot & Potato Soup

I;
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp grated ginger
3 carrots, roughly chopped
2 potatoes, roughly chopped
1 tsp cumin
3 cups stock (I use Campbell's salt reduced vegetable)
Fresh coriander to serve
Greek yoghurt to serve

M;
Fry onion, garlic & ginger in a deep pot until onion is clear
Add cumin, potatoes and carrot, cook until golden
Add stock, simmer until vegetables are tender
Take off the heat to cool
Puree in a blender or with a stick blender
Serve with a dollop of Greek yoghurt and a few coriander leaves


I always make double the batch, and double does 5-6 large serves, so I'd put the above at 3 generous servings or 4 small ones. Trust me, you won't want a small one.

Stay well,
Nat x