The Vegetarian Shepard

Ingredients

Russian Blue Mashed Potatoes with Green Garlic

• 3
  
  large Russian Blue potatoes (rinsed and quartered, skin on)
  
• 1/2
  
  stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
  
• 1/2
  
  cup half-and-half
  
• 1
  
  stalk green garlic (sliced thin)
  
• 1/4
  
  cup cup Piave cheese (grated) (could sub. Parmesan)
  
• 
  
  sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  

Vegetarian Shepard's Pie Filling

• 1/2
  
  yellow or white onion (chopped)
  
• 2
  
  carrots (peeled and chopped)
  
• 3
  
  cloves garlic (minced)
  
• 15-18
  
  shiitake mushrooms (sliced) (lamb or beef to keep traditional)
  
• 2
  
  tablespoons flour
  
• 1/2
  
  cup vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
  
• 2
  
  teaspoons tomato paste
  
• 1
  
  tablespoon fresh Rosemary (minced)
  
• 1/2
  
  tablespoon fresh thyme (minced)
  
• 1
  
  teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1
  
  ear sweet corn (cut off the cob) (frozen or fresh)
  
• 1/2
  
  cup sweet or English peas (frozen or fresh)
  
• 1/2
  
  cup Piave cheese (grated)
  
• 
  
  sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• 
  
  olive oil or butter
  

Directions

Russian Blue Mashed Potatoes with Green Garlic

1. Cover potatoes in water and add a generous amount of salt. Cover and bring to a boil for 10-12 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft (test with a fork).
2. I like my mashed potatoes nice and smooth so I toss them into a food processor, or bowl if you have a hand mixer. Add the half and half and butter to the processor and run until smooth.
3. Stir in green garlic, Piave cheese and salt and pepper to taste, and mix to combine.

Vegetarian Shepard's Pie Filling

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Start by heating the oil or butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook for 7-10 minutes. Add the garlic and let cook for 2 more minutes. Add some salt and pepper.
3. Add the sliced shiitakes and cook for about 3 minutes, until softened. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and mix until ingredients become a pasty, thick mixture.
4. Pour in the wet ingredients (chicken broth, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce) and rosemary and thyme. Add salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat, until mixture has thickened up nicely.

5. Once thickened, transfer mixture to baking dish. Smooth the potatoes over the top of the vegetables, sealing the edges as best as possible to stop mixture from spilling over the top (mine still boils over a bit). Spread the cheese over the top of the potatoes. Bake in oven for 20 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and let rest for about 10 minutes, or you’ll burn your tongue off. No one wants that to happen. This is a great vegetarian recipe. I brought it in for lunch and reheated it the next few days, and it was actually better after a day or two.