Gut-friendly lentil shepherd’s pie

You’ve got the family round on a Sunday – make this to please them and all your microbial relatives too. Trust us on the beetroot juice, but if you can’t get hold of any, just use 200ml red wine.

 

Serves 4-plus

 

Ingredients

• 1 large potato (skin on), cut into cubes, cut into 2.5cm chunks
• 1 medium sweet potato (skin on), cut into cubes
• 2tbs milk kefir yogurt
• 2tbs olive oil
• 1 leek, cut into rounds
• 2 carrots (skin on), diced
• 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1tbs dried thyme
• 1 small swede, peeled and cubed, cut into 2.5cm chunks
• 1 x 400g can of green lentils, drained and rinsed
• 200ml pressed beetroot juice
• 1 x 400g can of chopped tomatoes
• 200ml vegetable stock
• 1tbs tomato purée
• 1tbs Worcestershire sauce (optional)
• Salt and pepper

Method

 

Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/220°C. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 20-25 minutes until tender. Once cooked, drain and use a potato masher to mash by hand. Once cool, add the kefir (if using) and season.

 

Add the olive oil to a large pan over a medium-high heat. Add the leek and carrots and season.

 

Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for two minutes. Next add the swede and lentils and stir to coat. Add the beetroot juice and leave to bubble for one minute before adding the canned tomatoes, vegetable stock and tomato purée. Season well with salt and pepper, bring to the boil, and then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30-35 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Add the Worcestershire sauce for the final five minutes of cooking, if using.

 

Transfer the filling to an ovenproof baking dish. Top with the mashed potatoes and bake for 30-40 minutes until bubbling and crispy on top.

 

Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to four days.

 

The Gut Stuff by Lisa Macfarlane and Alana Macfarlane, Pavilion Books (£26)