Monday, May 11, 2015

Veggie Shepherd's Pie

My family lived in London for several years before I was born and shepherd's pie was a favorite of theirs. As a kid my sister and mom would make it for dinner often and it was delicious. I have created my own meatless version of it so both my husband and I can enjoy it.  I also like to think this is "healthier" than the original version because it has a ton of veggies in it including kale! Perfect comfort food for a cold and rainy day!




The Players:
  • 2 cups of water
  • 1.5 tsp of mushroom better than bouillon
  • 4-5 golden potatoes peeled and cubed in large pieces
  • 6 chives chopped small
  • 3 portabella mushroom caps, cubed, stems removed
  • 1 rosemary sprig with stem removed, and leaved chopped small
  • 5 thyme sprigs with stems removed
  • 1 carrot diced
  • 1 celery stalk diced
  • 3 cups of chopped kale
  • 2 tbs of flour
  • 1.5 tbs of butter
  • 1/4 cup of low fat sour cream
  • 3 tbs of milk
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese grated
  • 1/2 tsp of nutmeg
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbs of vegetarian Worcestershire sauce

The Game Plan:

Mashed potato topping:

Fill a large pot with water and place it on high heat. Place potatoes in the water with a few pinches of salt. Bring to a boil and let boil for about 10 minutes. Check to see if potatoes are cooked through. Drain the water and place the potatoes in a medium sized bowl. Smash them up until only slightly chunky. Add sour cream, milk, and chives. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix up until it is smooth.

The "meat" and veggies part of it:

Place a large pan on medium heat and add olive oil. Add mushroom and rosemary leaves to the pan and let cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add carrots, onions, and celery to the pan and let cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, kale, thyme, and nutmeg and let cook until kale is wilted, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile mix mushroom better than bouillon into the water and mix. Add bouillon and Worcestershire sauce and mix together. Bring to a simmer and let cook for about 10 minutes. In a small pot add butter and let it melt completely. Add flour while constantly stirring. Let the flour and butter mixture cook for about a minute or until color has deepened to a light sandy color. Add butter and flour mixture to the vegetable mixture while stirring until mixed well. Let the entire mixture cook for about 8 minutes or until it is slightly thickened.

Place the "meat" mixture into an oven safe bowl/pan and then place the mashed potato mixture on top. Then top it with sharp cheddar cheese. Place under broiler for a few minutes until the top is slightly browned. Enjoy!