How To Cook The Perfect Portobello Cottage Pie With Almond Crust - MEATFREE

This dish was one of those 'look in the fridge, see what you've got and throw it all together' type morphings.  It is happy making food.  I hope you like it.  It is an easy, inexpensive dish that really fills you up and has lots of lovely elements of flavour. 

If you are into the benefits of a good meal too then, as a bonus, the mushrooms are an excellent source of protein.  The lentils are very human kind.  Here is an extract from www.whfoods.com '

Lentils, are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber. Not only do lentils help lower cholesterol, they are of special benefit in managing blood-sugar disorders since their high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal. Lentils also provide good to excellent amounts of six important minerals, two B-vitamins, and protein—all with virtually no fat. Low Calorie too, only 230 calories for a whole cup of cooked lentils. This tiny nutritional giant fills you up--not out.

Serves 2

2 Portobello mushrooms
2 cups green lentils (brown and Puy lentils work well too)
2 medium sized potatoes
3/4 cup spinach
1 tbs fresh thyme leaves
2 tbs vegan cheese (I used Cheezly..if you are lucky enough to reside in USA (jealous!)  use Daiya or similar)
2 tbs ground almonds
1 tbs olive oil
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground white pepper


Method
1.put lentils in a pan of boiling water, bring back to the boil, add the spinach, thyme leaves and tsp salt.  Pop lid on, reduce heat and simmer for 20 mins.
2.wipe the mushrooms clean (do not chop) and fry in oil 2-3 minutes each side, or until the top becomes golden.  Fry dome side first and sprinkle with the pepper, then turn over. Retain any juices in the pan and pour into the cooked lentils.
3.wash (don't peel as the skin has all the good stuff in) the potatoes and slice 1cm.  Either cook in water or, as I prefer, steam them until soft.  The use a hand blender or a masher to mash the potatoes with the cheese and 1 tsp salt.
4.in your serving dish, lay the cooked lentils, followed by the mushroom or both if you are not using one portion serving dishes, then quarter the mushroom and lay it on top.  Then spoon over the mash to cover and sprinkle over the ground almonds. Place under a hot grill under golden.

getting ready for the mash!

basking under the heat of the grill. 

 Easy, inexpensive, full of goodness, comforting, animal/human kind food, sure to make you happy!