Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie

• 4 tbsp. (60 ml) olive oil
• 8 oz. (227 g) cremini mushrooms (mini bellas) finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 large green onions, finely chopped
• 1½ cups (375 ml) cooked brown lentils or 1 x 19 oz. (540 ml) can, drained
• 1½ tbsp. (22.5 ml) tamari sauce
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
• ½ tsp. pepper (or to taste)
• ½ tsp. salt (or to taste)
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and halved
• 1 large cauliflower, coarsely chopped (about 6 cups or 1.5 L)
• 1 x 12 oz. (341 ml) can corn kernels
• 5 oz. (285 ml) cream-style corn
• ¼ cup (60 ml) + 2 tbsp. (30 ml) silken tofu
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp. (30 ml) coarsely chopped parsley

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°).

• In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat oil. Add mushrooms, onion and green onions and cook, stirring often, for about 2 minutes.

• Add lentils, tamari sauce and thyme along with salt and pepper to taste, and cook for another 5 minutes or so. Set aside.

• Using a steam cooker or vegetable steamer over medium-high heat, steam cauliflower until tender-crisp. Drain well and set aside. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan of salted boiling water over medium-high heat, simmer sweet potatoes until fully cooked. Drain well and whirl in a food processor until smooth. Add puree to lentil mixture, mixing well, and spread evenly on bottom of a 9 x 13 in. (23 x 33 cm) baking dish.

• In a medium bowl, combine corn kernels with cream-style corn. Spread corn mixture evenly over lentil mixture in dish. Set aside.

• Using a food processor, whirl cooked cauliflower with tofu until smooth. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Mix in chopped parsley along with salt and pepper to taste. Spread mixture evenly over corn mixture in dish.

• Bake dish in centre of oven for 45 minutes and serve.

Mixing silken tofu with cooked cauliflower produces an incredibly smooth puree–so smooth in fact that you might mistake it for mashed potatoes! This vegetarian shepherd’s pie is especially delicious paired with a green salad.

Photos : Tango [Vitalité Québec] JANUARY 2017

Recipe: Josée Fiset