shepherd's pie

Overview

Time: 55 minutes
Dishes: large pot, skillet (oven-safe), measuring cup

Hello, hello Dear Readers!

As I was looking for a good omni Shepherd's Pie recipe to study, I came across people arguing over what animal is most appropriate to use in the dish, The correct answer is none! Plants are best! 

And, indeed, this meatless, vegetarian and vegan recipe is really tasty in all its plant glory. I kept this version simple, but the idea behind Shepherd's Pie is to use what you have and, to that end, you can add whatever vegetables you have lurking around. A cup of peas, a half cup of corn, a zuchhini, you get the picture. Key is to keep the ratio of solid to liquid about the same. 

I used a bag of frozen grounds (about 2 cups, if thawed, but not necessary for this recipe - frozen is fine), but of course, use whatever you like: seitan, beans, all vegetables, etc. The gravy is deliciously savory and the dish is thoroughly warming on a cool night. 

The potatoes are made with the potato cooking water itself, which has starch and flavor, to keep the potatoes together during baking. To get your potatoes to brown, spray with a little oil and broil it a few inches from the heat until it is golden, up to 10 minutes. I used a fork to mark the top of the potatoes to get the grooves. 

Time wise, again we encounter the non-active baking time, so I decided on moderate for this one, eventhough it inches over the total 45 minutes I have allocated for a moderate recipe. 

Enjoy!

Speedy Cooking Tips:

• Heat the pot of water for the potatoes right away; fill about 1/4 way.
• Choose potatoes that are large, if you are a slow peeler.
• REMEMBER to reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
• Use the lid to drain the potatoes instead of a separate strainer to wash.
• Mince the onions while the skillet heats. 
• Use a lid to cook the vegetables and the potatoes.
• Remember to preheat the oven; when depends on how quickly it preheats. 

 

Shepherd’s Pie

Makes 4 servings 

moderate

Preheat oven to 400-F

1. Potato: Cook the potatoes in a large pot with just enough salted water to cover. Heat on high with a lid until boiling and reduce to medium-high heat. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes but RESERVE 1/2 UP OF COOKING WATER:

3 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced

2. Vegetables: Cook the vegetables in a 10-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, using a lid, for 5 minutes, until golden.

1/4 onion, finely chopped

2 medium carrots, finely chopped

1 teaspoon minced garlic

3. Grounds: Add the grounds to the Vegetables and cook for 5 minutes, using a lid:

15-ounces vegan grounds, frozen is fine

4. Add the seasonings to the Grounds and cook for 2 minutes, mixing well to remove all traces of flour:

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon Easy Savory Broth mix**

2 teaspoons tomato paste

4. Add the water and flavorings to the Grounds while mix well with a spoon to prevent lumps. Season to taste and cook until thickened, 2 minutes. Add the peas after the sauce is thickened:

2 cups water

2 teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce

salt and black pepper

1 cup green peas

5. Mash the drained Potatoes. Add the reserved Potato Water and vegan butter, if using. Season with salt and pepper. Dollop mashed potatoes over the Grounds and spread to smooth, using a large spoon. Spray with oil and bake for 10 minutes. Then broil high for 5 minutes or until golden. Serve:

2 tablespoon vegan butter or olive oil (optional)

** Substitute for Savory Broth Mix: 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes, 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon sage and 1 teaspoon oregano. 

© 2020 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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creamy lemon pasta with cripsy lentils

Overview

Time: 30 minutes
Dishes: medium pot, large pasta, air-fryer

Heads Up! lemon and lentils

Hello, hello Dear Readers!

How about a little sunshine as the sun begins to recede to winter? Lemon is a fall/winter crop, so this is actually a perfect meatless, vegetarian and vegan dish for this time of year. This is lemony but nothing overwhelming, and it is creamy and delicious. The crispy lentils give it a nice contrast. Together they provide protein, iron and Vitamin C. All good things!

Make sure to zest your lemon before you juice it to save headache later. To zest, I just used a peeler and made sure to only get the yellow part of the fruit and not the white pith, which is bitter. Then I used a knife to mince the peels. 

The juice is added to the cooked and drained pasta so it absorbs the flavor perfectly. 

If you want (I would have but I didn't have any at the time) add 8 ounces of baby spinach to the pasta water a minute before you drain it, for some leafy green action. 

I air-fried the lentils, which proving to be very effective at making it crispy, but take care not to overdo it. I accidentally left them in the fryer for 15 minutes and they became a bit too crispy. Eight to thirteen minutes should suffice, but keep an eye on them and use your judgement.

All in all, an easy dish to prepare that was fast and tasty. 

Enjoy!

Speedy Cooking Tips:

• Start the water for the pasta first. The water needs to boil and the pasta will take about 10 minutes to cook. 
• Drain the lentils while the air-fryer preheats. 
• Cut the onion first, start cooking it. Then peel and mince the zest. Garlic can come last.
• Use a lid for all pots.
• Always zest before you juice the citrus.

 

Creamy Lemon Pasta with Crispy Lentils

Makes 4 servings 

easy

www.ZsusVeganPantry.com

Preheat air-fryer to 400-F

1. Pasta: Cook the pasta in a medium pot of salted boiling water, until   al dente. Drain the pasta, return to the pot and add the lemon juice. Stir well; the pasta will absorb the juice:

12 ounces fettuccine or spaghetti

2 tablespoons lemon juice (zest lemon first) **

2. Lentils: Rinse and drain the lentils. Add to the basket of an air-fryer and season with salt. Cook until crisp but not dried out, about 8 to 12 minutes:

1 (15-ounce) can green or brown lentils

3. Onions: Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and lemon zest. Cover with a lid and cook until the onions are golden, about 10 minutes. Stir as needed.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 lemon zested**

4. Sauce: add the flour to the Onions and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of the milk and stir until there are no lumps. Add the rest of the milk and the cheese, if using, and simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. needed.

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups plain, unsweetened nondairy milk

2 slices or 1/4 cup shredded vegan cheese (optional)

5. Serve: Add the Sauce to the Pasta and season with black pepper. Toss well and divide into bowls. Top with Lentils and serve.  

** 1 lemon. Use a peeler to peel zest very thin, not peeling any white pith. Then mince the zest strips. Then juice the lemon.

© 2020 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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