Shepherd’s Pie with Brown Lentils & Ginger
Recipe
I didn’t grow up in England so neither lentils nor Shepherd’s Pie were on my childhood menu. And thus I’m making this recipe so often, it seems I’m trying to make up for the lost time.
Equipment: large saucepan, frying pan, 36cm large roasting dish
Makes: 6 portions
Prep time: 20 min
Cooking time: 20 min
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients
- 1kg potatoes
- 2 tbsp. coconut oil
- 200g brown lentils (soaked for about 2 hour)
- 400ml filtered water
- 2 tbsp. coconut oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 1 medium size fennel bulb, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed
- 4 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tin (400g) of chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp. ginger
- 1 tsp. rosemary
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tbsp. vegetable stock
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Chopped parsley leaves, to serve
Method
1. Peel the potatoes and place them in a large saucepan or pot. Pour over a kettle of boiling water enough to cover the tops of potatoes. Bring to boil and then simmer for 15 minutes. Drain, add 2 tbsp. coconut oil and mash with a potato masher.
2. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
3. Melt the other 2 tbsp. of coconut oil in a frying pan and add the onions. Fry on a high heat stirring constantly for about 2 minutes, until golden.
4. Turn down the heat and add garlic, fennel and spices: ginger, rosemary & cumin. Cook for another 5 minutes stirring frequently.
5. Add tomatoes, tin of tomatoes, water, vegetable stock, pepper and drained lentils.
6. Place a lid over the frying pan and cook for 20 min stirring occasionally.
7. Once the lentils are ready place the whole mixture into a roasting dish. Use a spatula to make their surface even. Scoop the mash potatoes onto the top of the lentils and also make their surface even.
8. Place in the oven and bake for 20 min.
9. Serve warm with sprinkled chopped parsley on top.