Kip's Cookery

Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

I know that to many this would be considered a crime against nature. I also know that companies like Boca and MorningStar Farms have not invented a "mutton" replacement.

But over the many long snows of this winter, I think I have created a recipe that will satisfy that need for warm comfort food that only the cold can create. This is family size. Or "one and a few lunches sized."

~ Five to six cups of mashed potatoes (Boiled potatoes, heap ton of butter, whole milk or cream with salt and pepper to taste, blended with hand mixer. I make this with either red or gold potatoes with the skins left on.)

~ Two tablespoons of oil

~ One medium size onion, diced.

~ One large clove of garlic (or more if you are a garlicky sort), minced fine.

~ One large carrot or two medium size ones, grated

~ One package of fake ground beef. I think they are 12 or 14 ounces or something like that.

~ Three fake sausage patties, defrosted and cut into small pieces.

~ Five slices of fake bacon, diced (it's easier to do this while it is still frozen)

~ 1/2 cup (maybe 3/4) of water or vegetable stock

~ Salt, pepper

~ Rosemary, maybe a bit more than one teaspoon of crushed dried leaves

~ Thyme, 1/2 Teaspoon, maybe a bit more.

~ Two teaspoons (maybe a bit less) of Worcestershire sauce

~ 3/4 cup frozen corn

~ 3/4 cup frozen peas.

Make your mashed potatoes and set aside.

In a big saucepan over medium heat, fry garlic and onion in oil until onion is half way cooked (semi-translucent). Stir in carrot and cook a couple minutes more until onions are completely translucent.  Add fake beef, sausage, and bacon. Mix well and stir occasionally until it's cooked. (The fake beef will want to stick, so watch your temp and stirring here.) Add water/vegetable stock, salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme and Worcestershire sauce. Stir and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for a several minutes, allowing the flavors to blend and some of the water to boil off. You want a thick sauce, not watery. Add frozen corn and peas. Cook for a few minutes more.

Spoon into casserole dish and cover with a thick layer of mashed potatoes. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until the peaks and edges of the mashed potatoes turn golden brown.

Allow to cool a bit and then eat up.