Jamie Oliver's vegetarian cottage pie is not a typical cottage pie. It's also a hotpot. And suitable for veggies. Still interested? Of course you are, it's Jamie's! We've tried this yummy recipe and we can assure you: it's the perfect autumn comfort food. It's pretty easy to make and super-tasty, too. Win win.
What does Jamie say? 'If you love a comforting hotpot,' (he says) 'prepare to have your mind blown with this phenomenal meat-free version. Slow-cooked lentils, mushrooms and Worcestershire sauce add loads of savoury goodness, while my crispy potato topping is a winner every time. A hearty winter dinner without the meat.'
We're sold. Read on to find out how to make it. For more food, don't miss our hub page.
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Jamie Oliver's vegetarian cottage pie hotpot
- Thanks to Tesco for this recipe
Ingredients:
- 3 onions
- Olive oil
- ½ a bunch of fresh thyme (15g)
- 500g mushrooms
- 300g red split lentils
- 1.2 ltr organic vegetable stock
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 750g Maris Piper potatoes
- 100g kale
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C/fan 180°C.
2. Start by peeling and then finely chopping your onions. Jamie likes to save time at this stage by using a food processor to chop his onions. Put a deep frying pan on a medium heat, dribbling 2 tbsp oil into the pan, then add the onions. Stir in half of the thyme leaves then cook for 10 mins, or until softened.
3. While the onions are softening, scrub and finely chop your mushrooms (again, Jamie pops them in the food processor), then add to the pan. Cook for 10 mins, then next stir in the lentils.
4. Add the stock to the pan, increase the heat and bring to the boil. Once it's boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 mins, or until the lentils soften. Add the Worcestershire sauce and season to taste.
5. Scrub the potatoes clean and then finely slice them into 2 to 3mm thick rounds (again! Jamie uses the food processor here to speed things up). Toss the slices in 1 tbsp oil and a pinch of salt and pepper.
6. Rip up the kale, removing any tough stalks, and add it into the lentil pan, giving it a good stir. As soon as that's done, remove it from the heat. If your pan can't go in the oven, transfer the mix to an ovenproof dish now, evening out the top.
7. Arrange the potato slices on top of the lentils, overlapping them slightly, like in the picture above. Leave a small (0.5cm) gap all around the edges, plus a hole in the middle. This allows any steam to escape. Pop the rest of the thyme into the hole in the middle.
8. Transfer to the middle of the oven for 45 minutes – or until the potatoes are golden and crispy, and you can see the sauce bubbling beneath.
9. Served with steamed seasonal vegetables. We like to mix up a little gravy to have on the side, too.
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