Supercharged Shepherd's Pie

I love taking classic comfort foods and making them a whole lot more nutritious.  I've added lentils and plenty of veggies to my shepherd's pie base and my mash is half cauliflower and half potato.  I've kept the cheese and milk in the mash to keep it super yummy.  With the veggies, lean lamb and lentils this is a immune boosting recipe for winter that my kids love!


SUPERCHARGED SHEPHERD'S PIE

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 100g pancetta, trimmed of fat, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 600 g lamb or beef mince
  • 1/2 cup french green lentils
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 400g tin crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tabs tomato paste
  • 2 tabs tomato chutney
  • 1 bay leaf

 

  • 500g cream delight or other mashable potatoes, cut into chunks
  • 1/2 small cauliflower, trimmed, cut into florets
  • 50g parmesan, grated
  • 125ml milk
  • extra cheese to sprinkle over

METHOD

  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
  2. Saute onion, garlic, pancetta, carrots and celery in a little olive oil for 5 minutes, or until softened.
  3. Stir in the lamb mince and lentils, breaking up any lumps with a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the meat is browned. Add the tinned tomatoes, wine, tomato paste, tomato chutney and bay leaf.  Mix to combine and simmer for 40 minutes or until the lentils are cooked. Check seasoning and place mixture in a large oven proof dish, sprayed with some olive oil. 
  4. Meanwhile, to make the cauliflower and potato mash, ook potato in milk on stove for 10 minutes and add cauliflower for another 5. Drain any extra liquid.Mash and stir through parmesan cheese. Click here for thermomix method
  5. Mound the mash over the meat and lentil mixture.  Sprinkle with some extra grated cheese
  6. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving and accompany with a simple green salad

Serves 6

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