Name: Mushroom & lentil cottage pie with sweet potato
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 1 servings
Ingredients: 1 onion, finely sliced; 2 celery stalks, finely diced; 2 carrots, finely diced; 400 g Portobello or wild mushrooms, roughly chopped; 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped; ½ tbsp finely chopped rosemary leaves; 1 bay leaf; 200 ml red wine; 1 400g tin cooked puy lentils, drained; 200 g chopped tomatoes – approx. half a tin.; 2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce; 200 ml vegetable stock; 500 g sweet potatoes; 500 g floury potatoes; butter or olive oil; salt & pepper

AuthorBen WatsonCategoryAutumn, Dinner, Vegetable, WinterDifficultyBeginner

There’s nothing quite like a cottage pie when the evenings draw in. This vegetarian version from our friends at Riverford makes good use of lentils and mushrooms for a hearty filling, with plenty of flavour and texture.

The mash is worth a mention too. Mixing ordinary potatoes with sweet potatoes gives it a lovely colour and a little sweetness, while keeping the mash smooth and fluffy. It’s a simple trick you can use whenever you fancy a change from your usual topping.

Serve with some seasonal greens for a comforting autumn supper.

Recipe from Riverford.

Yields1 Serving

Prep Time20 minsCook Time45 minsTotal Time1 hr 5 mins

1 onion, finely sliced

2 celery stalks, finely diced

2 carrots, finely diced

400 g Portobello or wild mushrooms, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

½ tbsp finely chopped rosemary leaves

1 bay leaf

200 ml red wine

1 400g tin cooked puy lentils, drained

200 g chopped tomatoes – approx. half a tin.

2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce

200 ml vegetable stock

For the topping

500 g sweet potatoes

500 g floury potatoes

butter or olive oil

salt & pepper

For the topping:

Wash and peel both types of potato. Cut into even-sized pieces. Place in a saucepan of well-salted water and bring up to a boil. Simmer for 20 mins, until tender.

Drain the potatoes and let them dry a little in the colander before mashing or passing through a potato ricer (our preferred method). Add a generous knob of butter and taste and tweak the seasoning with salt and pepper to your liking.

For the filling:

Warm 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan and cook the onions, celery and carrots with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes, over a medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 5 minutes until they have started to darken and soften.

Add the garlic, rosemary, bay and red wine. Let the wine bubble away and reduce by half, this will only take a few minutes. Tip in the lentils, tomatoes, tamari and stock. Simmer gently for 10-15 minutes until everything is warmed through, tender and has the desired consistency.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Transfer to an oven/pie dish - approx. 25cm by 25cm and level out with the back of a spoon. Top with your mash, grate over a little extra cheese and then bake at 200°c/Gas 6 for 20 minutes or so, or until the top is golden.

Ingredients