17 Dec Puy lentil, chestnut and veg pie with goats cheese and parsley mash topping with onion and herb gravy

Puy lentil, chestnut and vegetable pie with goats cheese and parsley mash topping with onion and herb gravy

Great winter comfort food! Use chestnuts for a Christmas dinner version and almonds at other times.

100g puy lentils
2 tbsp pearl barley
200g vacuum packed cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped (or almonds: grind but leave some texture)
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 large leek, sliced
150g mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic. crushed
1 small sweet potato, peeled and grated
1 carrot, grated
1 small parsnip, grated
1 small courgette, grated
1 beaten egg,
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
1 tsp vegetable bouillon
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp shoyu
¼ tsp nutmeg
30g dried cranberries (for xmas version)
30g butter and 2 tbsp olive oil to fry

Mash

4 large potatoes, peel and chop, boil or steam until soft add
30g butter and 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
few grinds of black pepper
150g hard goats cheese, grated
Handful finely chopped parsley
Preheat oven to gas 5 or 190C

First put the lentils and barley into a small saucepan with a lid with 300ml water and bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 mins until all the water is absorbed.
In a large pan with a lid, melt the butter with the oil and fry the onion, leeks and mushrooms together until soft, then add the garlic, herbs and nutmeg.
Stir in the grated vegetables, bouillon, salt, shoyu, cranberries (if using) and lentil barley mix. Check seasoning then stir in beaten egg.
Spoon into a large oven proof dish, press down leaving a couple of inches for the potato mash.
Mash the potatoes with the butter and oil and salt (check seasoning) then mix in the cheese and parsley and grind on some black pepper.
Spoon over the lentil mix, level and bake in the oven for 45 minutes, it will be nicely browned – check after 30 minutes and cover with greaseproof paper if it browns too quickly.

Onion and herb gravy

1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ tsp dried thyme
1 tsp sage
3 to 4 tbsp shoyu
3 tbsp wholemeal flour
500ml water
3 tbsp olive oil
few grinds of black pepper

Fry the onion in a medium saucepan in the oil until soft, add the garlic and herbs and black pepper.
On a low heat, stir in the flour and cook for a few seconds, stirring all the time.
Measure the water in a jug and add the shoyu.
Gradually add the water/shoyu to the onion mix until it is all incorporated.
Liquidise with a handheld blender – it will get thicker as it cools.

To make this dish vegan just leave out the butter and cheese and egg.
Can be frozen, good idea to freeze in portions.