One of my favorite meals as a kid was Shepherd’s Pie. In our house, it was how my mother would empty the refrigerator of the week’s leftovers. She would turn these leftovers into a warming, satisfying comfort food, perfect for the cold Vermont evenings.
As I got older, it seemed like the only time I could enjoy a nice Shepherd’s Pie would be on St. Patrick’s Day at the local Irish Pub. Give me a pint of Guinness and Shepherd’s Pie…how better to celebrate St. Patrick?
Now, living a vegan lifestyle, memories of my mom’s and the local Irish Pub’s Shepherd’s Pie were just that, memories. But this year I was determined to enjoy some Shepherd’s Pie with my Guinness. The problem was how to recreate this classic dish without its key components.
Mission #1 – How do I replicate the ground beef or lamb?
I wanted my filling to have some “meaty” chew, but I also wanted it to take on the flavor of the gravy. Solution? Mushrooms, walnuts, and green lentils. The mushrooms and lentils really soak up the flavors of the gravy while the walnuts add some fat to the equation. Make sure you have sufficiently cooked the mushrooms and the green lentils. Nothing will ruin the dish more than undercooked mushrooms and lentils (if you err, err on the side of overcooking these).
Mission #2 – How do I make a nice dark and rich gravy?
Solution? Guinness! Dark and rich? Check! Irish? Check! Add complexity to the gravy? A big check YES! I was shocked how amazingly good the Guinness gravy was and how it completely made the dish. If you can’t find Guinness, you can use another Stout or Porter, but make sure it is not brewed with lactose.
There are several steps to this recipe, but honestly, they are all simple. The MOST important step is properly cleaning the leeks. Do not skip this step, otherwise you may have some unwelcomed sand in your dish.
I was going to wait until March to publish this recipe, but with the weather turning colder, I thought now is the perfect time to share with you.
Total time start to finish? Roughly 2 hours. But it is so worth it and the time flies, especially if you open a Guinness to sip as you are cooking.
Classic Irish dish reimagined and modified to satisfy the vegan lifestyle! Rich Guinness gravy will have you going back for seconds! Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and place a whole garlic bulb in the oven to roast. Depending on the size of the bulb, it may take 30 minutes for the garlic to roast so that the cloves are of a consistency that it spreads like jam. In a sauce pan, cook the lentils at medium high heat with the lid on for 17 to 19 minutes (or until the lentils are firm, but not mushy) with the bay leaves, dehydrated onions, and salt. I used enough vegetable broth to cover the lentils plus about another inch and 1/2 as the lentils absorb the much of the liquid. Boil the potatoes until completely cooked. Test the potatoes for doneness by sticking a fork in the potato. If the fork can go through the potato it is done. Leeks require thorough cleaning, so please do not skip this step. Trim the leeks at the bottom by the roots. Then find where the green outer leaves start to get hard / rough and trim the top off just below that point. Discard the trimmed parts. Cut the leeks in half length-wise. Slice the leeks in 1/4 inch strips. Last, wash the leeks thoroughly. I use a salad spinner, but if you do not have one, just clean them in a bowl of water. The key is to separate the leeks and make sure any sign of dirt or sand is removed. Slice the mushrooms and set aside. I prefer slices, but you could also give them a rough chop into 1/2 inch pieces. This would likely better resemble ground meat, but I like a bite or chew that the slices provide. Chop the walnuts and open the Guinness. Go ahead and open a second Guinness to drink. Over medium high heat, add about 1/2 cup of vegetable broth to a large sauce pot (I used a shallow 6 quart pot). Add the leeks and cook, stirring frequently to allow the leeks to sweat. After the leeks become translucent, add the mushrooms. You will need to add some vegetable broth if none remains after sweating the leeks. Continue stirring the mushrooms and leeks periodically for 5 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle the whole wheat flour over the leeks and mushrooms. I typically split it up, using half the flour and mixing it thoroughly, then adding the rest of the flour. The flour is the thickening agent for the gravy. Add the chopped walnuts. Add a bottle of Guinness and stir to allow the ingredients to combine completely. Cook the mushrooms and leeks down until the mushrooms become dark and have lost their moisture, adding vegetable broth as needed if the gravy gets too thick. Add the lentils to the mushrooms and leeks. Again, add vegetable broth if the gravy is getting too thick. Add 3/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper (to taste). Stir in the lentils and make sure everything is coated with the gravy. Add the frozen peas and carrots and stir well. Transfer the mixture to a deep casserole dish once the peas and carrots are cooked through. Remove the garlic from the oven and spoon the roasted cloves into a bowl. Add the potatoes to the bowl and mash the potatoes with the roasted garlic until smooth. If you need to, add a 1/4 cup of vegetable broth to help mash the potatoes to a smooth consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mashed potatoes and roasted garlic over the mushrooms and leeks mixture in the casserole dish. Cover the casserole dish and cook at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover the casserole dish and continue baking at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. You should see the gravy starting to bubble up and the garlic will darken. Remove the casserole dish from the oven and let the Shepherd’s Pie sit for about 10 minutes. Scoop the Shepherd's Pie into a shallow bowl, top with some green onion and enjoy (with a Guinness of course)! This recipe pairs wonderfully with curry roasted cabbage.A Very Guinness St. Patty's Day Vegan Shepherd's Pie
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