Rethinking Shepherd's Pie

Years ago when I was in college I spent a school year in London. One of the many jobs I picked up on this adventure was as a cook's helper in a pub. One of the weekly dishes we made was Shepherd's Pie. It was horrible stuff, mostly made from boxed ingredients and hamburger (called "mince" in the UK). Even the mashed potato topping was boxed. I have to admit, I have not made it since, not until I saw this vegetarian recipe in my whole foods cookbook.

Actually I made this a couple of weeks ago when it was quite chilly but now it is chilly again so I am thinking of warming foods such as this.

First of all, I was not able to find the dried adzuki beans called for in the original recipe. I love slow cooked beans but in this case I had to settle for canned. If you do use dry they cook for an hour with one 2-inch strip of kombu seaweed. But here is where I started: Preheat the oven at 375 degrees. Then in a large skillet add 1 T. of sesame or olive oil, and 1 medium diced onion, saute until soft. Then add 1 - 2 t. dried thyme and 1 t. dried oregano. Next add 3-4 carrots chopped, 3-4 celery stalks chopped and 2-3 cups chopped mushrooms (recommend cremini). Saute for another 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Add 1-2 cups of vegetable stock, 1/2 c. of chopped fresh parsley, sea salt and pepper to taste. Add one can of beans and mix well. Simmer for a few minutes and then pour mixture into oiled casserole dish.

While you are working on the above boil 3 large sweet potatoes cut into chunks about 7 -10 minutes or until soft. Drain. Place potatoes into a mixing bowl, add 1/4 cup of soy butter and mix with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add water if necessary. Spoon mashed potatoes onto the vegetable mixture and spread evenly.

Bake 30-35 minutes. Serve with a nice fresh salad.

So where have I been? Busy busy. The best news is that according to my MRI report, I am stable! What a relief. Work is still keeping me hopping and we had a nice weekend break at Rocky Gap State Park near Cumberland, MD. Actually, it was so windy we spent a lot of time inside reading but the scenery in the mountains was really beautiful. My big challenge right now is adding more exercise. I had a terrific swim this morning so feeling encouraged.

Oh yes, I wanted to post this article about a woman with MBC who has lived 17 years with the disease. I have a similar profile so I find it encouraging.