Off The Chain Shepherd’s Pie

Happy Friday everyone.  Last night’s meal was a big hit.  As promised, here is the recipe for:

VEGAN SHEPHERD’S PIE

For the beef mixture:

1/2 cup of chopped onions

1/2 cup chopped carrots

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1/2 pound vegan beef crumbles (I use more!)

1 cup fresh or frozen green peas

1 cup vegan vegetable broth

1 and 1/2 teaspoons chopped, fresh thyme

1 teaspoon pepper

1-2 teaspoons salt (check sodium in the crumbles)

Saute the onions and carrots in oil for 5-7 minutes, or until onions soften.  Add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes.  Add all remaining ingredients and simmer 10 minutes adding more broth as needed to allow cooking time.

For the Potatoes:

1 and 1/2 pounds baking potatoes (I use more!) peeled and roughly diced

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 cup vegan butter

3 tablespoons soy milk, or as needed (I use MUCH more)

salt and pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes with the salt and cook about 20 minutes or until fork tender.  Drain well, mash and fold in butter.  Add soy milk as needed to create a firm, yet creamy texture.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the Pie:

The beef and potatoes from above

2-3 tablespoons vegan butter

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon chopped chives or parsley (I just used a little more thyme)

Preheat the oven to 375 F

Place all the beef mixture in a 1 and 1/2 quart casserole dish (I use a large meatloaf/bread pan).  Top with all the potatoes.  Place small dollops of butter evenly across the top of the casserole.  Sprinkle paprika over top and bake for 20-25 minutes until slightly browned on top and well heated through.   I put the oven on broil for the last 5 minutes and it really made for a beautiful presentation.   Sprinkle with herbs to garnish and serve immediately.  This recipe makes about 5 servings.

**I pretty much doubled everything, though you really don’t have to worry about precise measurements.  Last night I had enough mixture and potatoes to make 2 casseroles.  One gotten eaten and the other got split and taken home as leftovers.  The kids said this dish was “off the chain.”  I believe that’s a compliment 🙂  Served with a big salad, grainy bread, grilled seasonal vegetables and black bean, avocado, mango salad, our “back to school” dinner was the celebration I hoped for.

As a bonus, Derek informed us that his company is reimbursing him for his tuition.  That was great news for Mitch and I who offered to pay for his schooling because “the more you know, the more you grow.”  I guess his company believes in that, too!