Vegetarian Shepard's Pie

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, separated

  • 2 garlic cloves minced

  • 1 cup diced onion 

  • 3/4 cups diced carrots 

  • 3/4 cups diced celery 

  • 8 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced

  • 1 teaspoon EACH: dried thyme, Italian seasoning

  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper

  • 2 tablespoons white flour

  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 1/2 cup 100% grape juice

  • 2 bay leaves, separated

  • 1 cup frozen sweet peas

  • 1 cup frozen yellow corn

  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

  • 1 cup vegetable stock

  • 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Topping

  • 2 and 1/2 pounds potatoes

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half

  • 1/2 cup sour cream

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • Fine sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

  • Optional: fresh parsley or fresh thyme (for topping)

Instructions

  1.  Peel and then cube the potatoes into golf-ball sized pieces. Place in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add 1 tablespoon fine sea salt and 1 bay leaf, stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender; about 15-20 minutes. When a potato can easily be pierced, drain the potatoes in a strainer and make sure you get rid of ALL the extra moisture. Let them dry for about 3 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.

  2.  While the Potatoes are cooking, pour 1 and 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a large (oven-safe to save a dish!) skillet (1.5 quart skillet) over medium high heat. Add finely chopped onion and cook, stirring frequently for about 1 minute. Add in the garlic, stir for 30 seconds. Add the finely chopped carrots and celery and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until veggies are softened, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, thinly slice the mushrooms. Add in the mushrooms and cook another 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until mushrooms are tender. Add in the flour and stir for 1 minute to cook off the rawness of the flour. Add in the tomato paste, thyme, Italian seasoning, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. (I add 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, add to preference). Stir for another 1-2 minutes. Add in the grape juice and stir for 1-2 more minutes or until thick.

  3. Reduce heat to medium and add in the can of diced tomatoes, frozen peas, frozen corn, and remaining 1 bay leaf. Add in the vegetable stock and stir until combined. Bring to a simmer. Cook for 25-35 minutes at medium heat, stirring every 5 or so minutes, until you have a good thickened gravy. Stir in the red wine vinegar. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

  4. If you didn't prepare in an oven-safe skillet, transfer to a 1.5-2 quart oven-safe dish. Remove the bay leaf and discard.

  5. While the potatoes are drying in the strainer, add the heavy cream, sour cream, and butter to the pot the potatoes cooked in. Melt on low heat and stir to combine. While potatoes are still hot, put them through a ricer and add to the cream and butter mixture or add to mixture and mash them with a potato masher. Stir until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I use about 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper).

  6. Gently spread the potatoes in an even layer on top of the veggies. Use a soup spoon to press them to cover all the veggies and make sure to "seal" the edges with potatoes. Use a fork to add marks into the surface of the potatoes. Drizzle with remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.

  7. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown and the edges are bubbling. Broil for 1-2 minutes on high to get the very tops of the potatoes crispy! Remove from heat and garnish with fresh thyme or fresh parsley as desired. Serve hot.

Recipe adapted from chelseasmessyapron