7-Plants Shepherd’s Pie
Gluten-free | Sugar-free | Dairy-free option | Grain-free
Serves 4-5
Why it’s delicious
As much as I adore a good, hearty shepherd's pie, I wanted to create an even heartier one full of vegetables. Knowing our son's “concern” for anything that even resembles a plant, I decided to hide the vegetables from him and managed to sneak in 7 different plants, to which he declared, “That was absolutely delicious, I didn't even need sauce!” I’ll take the win.
Helpful hints and tips
Diversity of plants in our diet is one of the keys to maintaining a healthy gut microbiome, which in turn helps with weight management and overall health.
I managed to get 7 different plants into this delicious shepherd's pie, not including the garlic! How many can you sneak in?
For the mash, aim for white or pale non-starchy vegetables like swede (rutabaga), celeriac, kohlrabi, cauliflower, fennel, jicama and chayote. Keeping the mash white will trick any fussy eaters into thinking the mash is made from potatoes.
For the filling, choose soft non-starchy vegetables that don’t take long to cook and don't have an overly strong flavour like diced zucchini, asparagus, bamboo shoots, celery, eggplant, button mushrooms, water chestnuts and leeks.
Ingredients
- 1 medium cauliflower, chopped into thin pieces
- 1 medium fennel bulb, diced
- 2 large chokos (chayotes), peeled, pip removed and diced
- Mineral or Himalayan salt
- 3 tbsp Bridget’s Sticky Sauce
- 2 medium onions, finely diced
- 1 heaped tbsp finely chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground cardamom
- 500 g (1.1 lb) lean lamb mince (ground)
- 2 large zucchini, finely diced
- 1 bunch of asparagus, chopped
- 1 large eggplant, finely diced
- Freshly milled black pepper
- 200 ml (7 oz) kombu infused water or homemade veggie stock
- 125 ml (4.2 oz) coconut milk
- 6 tbsp grated aged cheddar or vegan cheese or nutritional yeast
- 1-2 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary, optional
Method
If topping the pie with cheddar or vegan cheese, preheat the oven to 200C (390F)
Place the cauliflower, fennel and chokos into a large pot and cover with warm water. Add a good sprinkle of salt and bring the pot to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, place a lid on the pot and cook for 12-15 minutes or until the vegetables are just soft.
While the vegetables cook, place a large pan or wok on medium to high heat with the sticky sauce, onions and garlic. Saute for a couple of minutes and then add the cumin and cardamom. Continue to stir fry for a couple of minutes.
Add the lamb and stir to break up and get the mince cooking for a couple of minutes or until cooked through.
Add the finely diced zucchini, asparagus and eggplant and stir through the mince. Allow the vegetables to cook for a couple of minutes and then add the kombu water. Season well with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are just cooked through. Set aside.
Drain the water from the cooked cauliflower, shaking the vegetables well to remove as much water as possible. Using a handheld blender or masher, mash the vegetables with the coconut milk, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the mince to a heat-proof casserole or dish and top with the mash. If using cheese, sprinkle over the top and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is golden and melted. Sprinkle the top with rosemary before serving straight from the dish.
For nutritional yeast users, simply top the mash with the yeast and sprinkle over the rosemary before serving.
This dish keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days and can be frozen in portions for up to 3 months.
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