Mushroom and Lentil Shepherd's Pie

I am a true believer in putting whatever the heck you want to in the veggie portion of this. Raid the freezer! Raid your veggie drawer! Don't like mushrooms? Cut them out. Alternatively, if you're a lentil hater, don't put them in and just do fresh veg. This is an experimenting-is-fun kind of dish.

Ingredients

3 medium Russet potatoes
1/2 cup whole milk
5 tblsp. butter, divided
1 cup red or green lentils
1 large shallot
3 celery stalks
3 carrots
1 cup peas
1 carton baby bella mushrooms (or whichever kind you prefer)
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup chicken stock (optional...just makes the veggies juicier)
1 5 oz. package of goat cheese
Thyme and Rosemary, as desired
salt and pepper, to taste


Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Chop up the potatoes into very large chunks...it makes it easier to boil and then mash them up this way. Bring to a boil a large pot of salted water, then add in the potatoes and boil, about 10-15 minutes. Check tenderness with a fork to see when done (should be very soft.) Meanwhile, bring the lentils to a boil in salted water, and add a sprig or two of rosemary into the pot. Boil for about 10 minutes, until soft. When cooked, drain lentils and set aside.

When the potatoes are cooked, drain, then return to the empty hot pot. They should be steaming (which means the extra water is evaporating and you won't have soggy taters.) Add in a couple tablespoons of butter, the milk, salt and pepper, and mash. (Note: I like leaving the skins on the potatoes, makes it tastier, but if you're seriously anti-potato-skin, you can peel them in the beginning before chopping and adding to water.) Mash to a smooth consistency, and add as much butter/milk/salt/pepper as suits your taste preferences. When smooth, scoop out hunks of the goat cheese and stir in (but you want to keep pockets of the goat cheese to get melty in the oven later.) Set aside.

Chop the carrots, celery, shallot, mushrooms (I like a combo of sliced and chopped mushrooms, makes for a good consistency). Saute in the remaining butter in a pan, add salt and pepper and thyme and continue to cook over medium heat until softened. Add in the lentils, wine (a bit at a time), and chicken stock if you wish, and taste for flavor. Add in the peas. Once everything tastes to your liking in terms of salt, pepper, etc, remove from pan. (Make sure the veg don't get too dried out!)


In a medium-sized ovenproof dish, scoop in the lentil-mushroom mixture and spread out evenly. Next layer on top the mashed potato mixture, and even out over the lentils. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the potatoes start to brown on top and everything smells heavenly.

Remove from the oven, and let settle for about ten minutes. Serve hot.