When it is cold outside, our bodies naturally crave comforting dishes that are denser, richer and served hot. Such food grounds and satisfies offering the warm hug we seek in autumn and winter months.
Here is a delicious alternative to a traditional Cottage Pie. This one is vegetarian, so flavourful lentils are used instead. White potato, usually chosen for the mash topping, is a nightshade, so it is best to be swapped with a delicious sweet potato that is easier to digest.
Sweet Potato Lentil Cottage Pie
True comfort food
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker, optional
Ingredients
Lentils
- 3/4 cup beluga lentils
- 1 ½ water
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Mash
- 3 medium sweet potatoes
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 2/3 tsp mineral salt
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
Sauce
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1 1/2 tsp mineral salt
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
- 1 small beetroot, peeled and chopped into matchsticks size pieces
- ¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- pinch hing
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp celery seeds
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves - or 1/3 tsp dried
- 1 date, chopped
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped finely - or 1/3 tsp dried
- 1 tbsp spelt or wholewheat flour
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups fresh parsley, chopped
Optional extras
- ⅓ cup walnuts
- 1 tbsp whole coriander seeds
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- Lime juice
Instructions
Lentils
- In a pressure cooker, combine the lentils, water and the olive oil and cook for 18 minutes. Tip: it is handy to place the sweet potatoes on a trivet above the lentils, so they cook at the same time.Alternatively, boil the lentils on the stove till soft. You will need a little extra water. Separately, in a small saucepan cook the sweet potatoes until mushy.
Mash
- Remove the sweet potatoes from their skin and mash with the rest of the mash ingredients.
Sauce
- Heat 1 tbsp of ghee, Add the whole spices and bay first, cook for a few moments, till the aroma comes up.
- Stir in the hing, salt, rosemary and thyme.
- Add in the celery and beetroot. Cook for a couple of minutes gently, stirring now and then. Stir in the flour
- Stir in the cooked lentils.
- Add the chopped date, 1 cup of water and the black pepper.
- Cover and gently simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Stir in the fresh parsley.
Baking the pie
- Use individual dishes for each person or a large baking dish for everyone.
- Place the filling and top it up with the mash.
- Optionally, combine the walnuts and coriander seeds with 1 tsp olive oil and place on top of the mash for a pleasant crunch.
- Bake in a preheated 200 C / 400 F (180C / 350 F fan) oven for 15-20 minutes.
- Optionally decorate with a little fresh parsley. Squeeze a few drops of lime on top.
- Let the pie cool for 10-15 minutes until you serve. It is usually very hot!