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Vegan Shepherd's Pie

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Ingredients
  

For the Mashed Potato Topping:

  • 3-pounds Russet potatoes, peeled, quartered or diced
  • 4 tbsp. olive oil or vegan butter
  • ½ cup vegan sour cream
  • 1 tbsp. truffle oil, optional but amazing
  • 2 tsp. granulated garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. salt.
  • ½ tsp. pepper
  • ½ - 1 tsp. nutritional yeast, optional

Fo the Filing:

  • 3 tbsp. olive oil or vegan butter
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1-pound mushrooms (cremini, button, shiitake, portobello, chanterelles or a mix), sliced
  • 1-½ cups celery, diced
  • 1-½ cups carrots, peeled, diced in small ½-inch cubes
  • 1-½ cups parsnips, peeled, diced in small ½-inch cubes
  • 1-½ cups frozen peas
  • 1-½ cups cannellini beans
  • 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1 tsp. salt, more to taste
  • ½ tsp. cracked pepper
  • 1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves or 1 tsp. dried
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 4 tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups vegetable broth, warmed, mixed with 2 tsp. miso paste
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • ½ cup fresh Italian Parsley, chopped

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat oven to 375°F.

To prepare the mashed potatoes

  • Cut potatoes into halves or quarters; attempt to make pieces as similar in size as possible.
  • Place in a large pot and cover with an inch of water; add 1 tablespoon kosher salt; simmer until knife tender about 20 to 25 minutes.
  • Remove from heat; drain, saving 1 cup of the potato water.

To prepare the stew:

  • In a very large heavy bottom pot, heat oil over medium heat.  
  • Saute onions and mushrooms for 7 to 8 minutes until fragrant; add parsnips, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper; stirring for 10 minutes until carrots are al dente and mushrooms give off their liquid; cook off the liquid.
  • Deglaze with 1/2 cup wine, scraping up any brown bits.  
  • Let simmer on med-low until carrots and parsnips are perfectly tender and wine has cooked off.
  • Add the peas and and cannellini beans; sprinkle the veggies with 4 tablespoons flour; stir it about 2 minutes while the flour cooks a bit. 
  • Add 1 cup warm vegetable broth to the pot, stirring until the stew thickens; stir in the remaining broth, a cup at a time, simmering, and letting it thicken; add the mustard; turn off heat. 
  • Taste for salt and pepper; add more to taste, if necessary; stir in the fresh parsley.

To finish preparation of the potatoes:

  • Place the drained potatoes back into the potato pot.
  • Mash with a potato masher and add olive oil, vegan sour cream,  granulated roasted garlic, salt, pepper and optional truffle oil and nutritional yeast.
  • Add 1/4 cup to - 1/2 cup of the hot potato water to loosen the potatoes.
  • Whip them up until creamy with the masher; taste and adjust salt and pepper.

To assemble and bake:

  • Pre-heat the oven to 375°F.
  • Scoop the filling into a greased, large 9-inch x 13-inch baking dish or a large oven-proof cast iron skillet or Dutch oven.
  • As an alternative, scoope into smaller individual-sized baking dishes or ramekins.
  • Spoon the creamy mashed potatoes over the stew, or use a piping bag and pipe the potatoes over the stew.
  • If potatoes seem too dry to pipe, whip in a little more hot potato water and they will loosen up nicely.
  • Drizzle the top with a little truffle oil.
  • Place on a baking sheet (to catch the drippings) and put in the pre-heated oven; bake until bubbly and golden; about 20 - 30 minutes.
  • Remove from oven, garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

Notes

The filling can be made ahead and refrigerated (let it come to room temp before baking) and then assemble the shepherds pie before baking; however, making the potatoes the same day makes for lighter fluffier potatoes, but if in a pinch, assemble the whole thing ahead and refrigerate. 
To elevate this dish, pan-sear the mushrooms in olive oil first;  season lightly with salt  and pepper, cooking until they release all their liquid; allow them to caramelize a bit; set aside while you saute the onions and veggies; add back in with the wine.