Best Recipe for Vegetable Shepherd's Pie
Ingredients
- 3 pounds russet potatoes, unpeeled
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
- 1 1/2-2 cups whole milk, warmed
- Kosher salt
- 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 3/4 cup brown or French green lentils
- 6 garlic cloves, divided, plus 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3 cups coarsely chopped onions
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free white miso or 2 teaspoons gluten-free tamari soy sauce
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 12 cups 1/2" pieces peeled fall vegetables (such as squash, turnips, carrots, and parsnips)
- 1 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed, halved
- 2 4" rosemary sprigs
- 2 cups bite-size pieces mixed fresh mushrooms
- 1/4 cup chopped mixed fresh herb (such as parsley, chives, and sage)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Bake potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet until tender, about 45 minutes. Let cool slightly, then peel. Press potatoes through a ricer, food mill, or colander into a large bowl. Add butter; stir until well blended. Stir in milk. Season to taste with salt. DO AHEAD: Potatoes can be made 1 day ahead. Let cool, press plastic wrap directly onto potatoes, and chill.
- For filling: Soak dried porcini in 3 cups hot water; set aside. Combine lentils, 1 garlic clove, 1 teaspoon salt, and 4 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender but not mushy, 15ñ20 minutes. Drain lentils and discard garlic. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 12 minutes. Add chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly, until tomato paste is caramelized, 2-3 minutes. Add bay leaves and wine; stir, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in porcini, slowly pouring porcini soaking liquid into pan but leaving any sediment behind. Bring to a simmer and cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Stir in broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 45 minutes. Strain mixture into a large saucepan and bring to a boil; discard solids in strainer. Stir cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl to dissolve. Add cornstarch mixture; simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in miso. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Set aside. Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss vegetables and pearl onions with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 5 garlic cloves, and rosemary sprigs in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Divide between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Roast, stirring once, until tender, 20-25 minutes. Transfer garlic cloves to a small bowl; mash well with a fork and stir into sauce. Discard rosemary. DO AHEAD: Lentils, sauce, and vegetables can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately; chill. Arrange lentils in an even layer in a 3-quart baking dish; set dish on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Toss roasted vegetables with fresh mushrooms and chopped herbs; layer on top of lentils. Pour sauce over vegetables. Spoon potato mixture evenly over. Bake until browned and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
- Soak dried porcini in 3 cups hot water; set aside. Combine lentils, 1 garlic clove, 1 teaspoon salt, and 4 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender but not mushy, 15ñ20 minutes. Drain lentils and discard garlic.
- Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 12 minutes. Add chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly, until tomato paste is caramelized, 2-3 minutes.
- Add bay leaves and wine; stir, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in porcini, slowly pouring porcini soaking liquid into pan but leaving any sediment behind. Bring to a simmer and cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Stir in broth and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, about 45 minutes.
- Strain mixture into a large saucepan and bring to a boil; discard solids in strainer. Stir cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl to dissolve. Add cornstarch mixture; simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in miso. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss vegetables and pearl onions with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 5 garlic cloves, and rosemary sprigs in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Divide between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Roast, stirring once, until tender, 20-25 minutes. Transfer garlic cloves to a small bowl; mash well with a fork and stir into sauce. Discard rosemary. DO AHEAD: Lentils, sauce, and vegetables can be made 1 day ahead. Cover separately; chill.
- Arrange lentils in an even layer in a 3-quart baking dish; set dish on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Toss roasted vegetables with fresh mushrooms and chopped herbs; layer on top of lentils. Pour sauce over vegetables. Spoon potato mixture evenly over.
- Bake until browned and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.
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