Another frugal, organic recipe from…
Mountain Community Co-op, Eatonville, WashingtonMarch 7, 2009

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie
On damp or chilly nights, this hearty casserole is especially welcome. Although the recipe seems complicated, it breaks down into three easy pieces: the mashed potatoes, the vegetable layer, and the mushroom gravy. It is also adaptable: if you don’t want to use a certain vegetable, substitute another. Kasha and quinoa can be used interchangeably. Both are gluten-free grains. Quinoa is a complete protein. Based on a recipe from Moosewood Restaurant’s Low-Fat Favorites.

Mashed Potatoes
5 cups peeled cubed potatoes
4 garlic cloves, peeled
½-1 teaspoon salt

Mushroom Gravy
5 cups sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup dry sherry
1-1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
¾ teaspoon dried marjoram
2-1/2tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in2 tablespoons cold water
Ground black pepper to taste
Vegetable Layer
1-1/2 cup chopped onions
2 teaspoons canola or olive oil
1 cup peeled and sliced carrots (about ½ inch thick)
3 cups cored and sliced cauliflower
1 cup diced red, yellow, or green bell peppers
½ cup kasha (buckwheat groats) or quinoa
½ cup dry red wine or sherry
2 teaspoons dried dill
½ teaspoon dried marjoram
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Optional: Fresh parsley sprigs or sliced onions

Directions
1. In a saucepan, combine the potatoes, garlic, and salt in about 5 cups water, cover, bring to boil. Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
2. While the potatoes cook, in a large nonstick pan or skillet, sauté the onions in the oil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the carrots and cauliflower, cover, and sauté for another 5 mins. Stir in the bell peppers, kasha or quinoa, wine or sherry, dill, marjoram, and soy sauce.
3. Drain and set aside cooked potatoes. Reserve the potato stock for the kasha, for mashing the potatoes, and for making the gravy. Add 1-1/2 cups potato stock to the vegetables and kasha, cover, and simmer about 10 minutes, until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
5. Meanwhile, mash the potatoes in a large bowl with about ½ cup of their stock. Evenly spread the mashed potatoes on the bottom of a lightly oiled or sprayed 8x12-inch baking dish. Layer the vegetable and kasha or quinoa mixture on top. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
6. While the casserole bakes, combine the mushrooms, sherry, soy sauce, marjoram, and 1-1/2 cups of the reserved potato stock in a saucepan and simmer until the mushrooms soften and release their juices, about 10 minutes. Whisk the dissolved cornstarch into the gravy and stir continuously for a few more minutes, until it thickens. Add pepper to taste.
7. To serve, cut the shepherd’s pie into six pieces and ladle some gravy on top of each serving. Garnish with parsley or scallions, if desired.

Variation: Kasha and quinoa add a subtle nutty flavor to the dish, but you can omit either. Replace the kasha or quinoa with another 1-1/2 cups of chopped vegetables and reduce the amount of potato stock to about ½ cup—just enough to prevent the vegetables from sticking as they sauté.

Per 11-oz serving: 227 calories, 6.2g protein, 2.6g fat, 44.4g carbohydrates, 4.6g saturated fatty acides, 1.3g polyunsaturated fatty acides, .5g monounsaturated fatty acids, 0mg cholesterol, 699mg sodium, 6.7g dietary fiber.