You can't go wrong with whiskey and/or potatoes. This makes for a wonderfully hearty winter meal and keeps well for a couple days in the fridge to boot.
Source: Connoisserus Veg | Serves: 6 | Time: 1.5 hr
Changes: used wood smoked infused EVO and skipped the liquid smoke; used canned peas and more of them (I love peas!)
Ingredients
Lentil Base
1 small onion, diced
1 leek, white and light green parts only, cleaned and chopped
2 medium #carrots, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup whiskey
1 tsp dried thyme
2 ½ cups vegetable broth (homemade to reduce sodium)
1 cup dried brown #lentils
1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 small can #peas, drained
Salt and pepper, to taste
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
1 ½ pounds russet #potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 to 2 inch chunks
½ cup unflavored non-dairy milk, plus more as needed (I used almond milk)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp vegan butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Make the Lentil Base
Coat the bottom of a medium saucepan with olive oil and place over medium heat.
When the oil is hot, add the onion, leek, carrots, and garlic. Sweat the veggies until onions are softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the whiskey and thyme. Raise the heat and and bring the liquid to a simmer.
Continue simmering until most of whisky has evaporated, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in vegetable broth and lentils, then raise the heat and bring the liquid back to a simmer.
Lower the heat and allow the mixture to simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 25-30 minutes. Stir the pot occasionally and add a bit of water if it reduces too much. Remove from heat and drain any excess liquid when done cooking.
Remove the pot from heat and drain any excess liquid when done cooking.
Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and peas. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Make the Mashed Potatoes
While the lentils simmer, place potatoes into a large pot and cover them with water.
Place the pot over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Lower the heat and boil the potatoes until fork tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Do not overcook the potatoes.
Remove the pot from heat and drain the potatoes into a colander.
Return the potatoes to the pot and mash them with a potato masher. Stir in the milk, garlic and butter. You can add more milk if needed to reach your desired consistency, but you want to keep the potatoes relatively thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Make the Shepherd's Pie
Preheat the oven to 400º. Transfer the lentil mixture to an 8 inch by 8 inch baking dish or deep dish 9-inch pie plate. Gently press down into a uniform layer with a spoon or spatula.
Top the lentil mixture with mashed potatoes, smoothing them out all the way to the edges to create a seal.
Bake the pie until brown spots form on top, about 30 minutes.
Remove it from oven and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.