
A plant based version of a Shepherd's pie with a potato and celeriac mash topping.
Start by prepping all your veggies. Dice the onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Roughly chop the mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes and set to one side.
Peel the potatoes and celeriac, cut into chunks and place into a deep saucepan, cover with cold water and a pinch of salt and heat until boiling, then simmer for around 25 minutes or until soft all the way through.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and when it's hot add the onions, carrot and celery and cook until they begin to soften (about 8 minutes).
Next add the garlic, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, oregano, thyme and a little salt and pepper and stir through. Add a splash of water if everything starts to stick. Cook the mixture for a few more minutes until the mushrooms begin to soften. If you have some, you can add a splash of red wine at this stage, it's not essential but will enhance the flavours.
Once the mushrooms are soft, add the chilli flakes and tomato puree and stir through. Drain and rinse the green lentils and tinned beans and add them to the pan.
Next add the tinned tomatoes, then refill half the tin with water and add that too, then stir through the beany mixture. Once incorporated add the marmite, balsamic vinegar, vegan Worcester sauce and sugar/agave nectar. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Add in a big handful of frozen peas and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180°c (fan).
When the potatoes and celeriac are tender, drain the water and add the vegan butter and milk to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and mash until soft and fluffy.
Check the seasoning in the beany mixture and add a dash more salt and pepper to your taste if needed. Pour the mixture into an oven dish and scoop the mash on top creating a smooth top mash layer covering all the mixture.
Pop in the middle of the oven and bake for 25 minutes until the top starts to brown slightly. Then removed from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve up and enjoy! This will go beautifully with a crisp side salad or some steamed green beans.