Hearty and wholesome gardener’s pie is packed with lentils, mushrooms and root vegetables – the perfect Shire dinner recipe on a cold winter’s eve.
Winter Comfort in the Shire
With the chill of winter blanketing the Shire and the fires and celebration of Yuletide fading, the hobbits settle into their hobbit holes and await the coming spring. After all the feasting and celebrating at Yuletide, the hobbits look forward to simpler fare as they make use of their well-stocked pantries and larders. While still enjoying their plethora of daily meals, the hobbits turn to the vegetables, fruits, and other foodstuffs preserved from the year before to create simple but nourishing dishes.
Gardener’s Pie for Dinner
As the long winter’s day rolls along, the hobbits settle in for the first of their evening meals. With night closing in around them, they look for a warm and hearty dinner to keep them cozy in their hobbit holes. Packed with vegetables and hearty legumes, this gardener’s pie is a nourishing and wholesome twist on the classic favourite, shepherd’s pie. Pantry vegetables are cooked with a heaping pile of mushrooms before adding cooked green lentils. Topped with a creamy root vegetable mash, this gardener’s pie is a simple but delicious vegetarian entrée that’s perfect on a cold winter’s night.
More Hobbit Recipes
- More winter recipes for first breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses, luncheon and afternoon tea.
- Enjoy more dinner recipes from Middle Earth.
Ingredients
Rutabaga: This recipe uses a blend of rutabaga and potatoes for the mashed topping. The addition of rutabaga, or yellow turnips, yields a softer, much looser mash. You won’t need to add as much liquid while mashing the root veg. If desired, you can substitute with another root vegetable, such as celeriac, white turnips, or even sweet potatoes.
Potatoes: I prefer to use yellow flesh potatoes which yield a softer, creamier mashed potato. However, russets would work as well.
Lentils: To save time, I used canned green lentils. However, you can cook brown or green lentils from dried if you prefer.
How to Make Gardener’s Pie
Make the mashed topping
Peel and cube both the rutabaga and potatoes. Divide them into separate saucepans and cover with water. Season both with a generous pinch of kosher salt. Bring them both to a boil and cook until fork tender. The rutabaga will take about 5 to 10 minutes longer than the potatoes to cook. Drain and keep warm.
Use a potato masher to roughly mash both the rutabaga and potatoes until almost smooth. Add the rutabaga to the potatoes along with the butter, kosher salt, and pepper and mash until smooth. Add 2 tbsp of the heavy cream and mash together. Check the consistency – if it’s still too dry, add the remaining cream. Keep warm.
Make the filling
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place a wide skillet or shallow braiser over medium heat. Add the olive oil along with the onions. Season with a bit of kosher salt. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until the onions begin to soften. Add the carrots and celery and turn the heat to low. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring regularly, until the vegetables soften.
Add the mushrooms and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until tender. When the vegetables are all tender, add the minced garlic and chopped fresh thyme. Sauté for another minute until fragrant. Add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, kosher salt and pepper, and cook briefly. Stir the flour into the vegetables until fully combined before slowly adding the vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until thickened. Add the lentils and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes to allow the flavours to blend together. Stir in the parsley.
Bake the Gardener’s Pie
Transfer the filling to a shallow casserole dish or leave in the braiser. Spoon the mashed root vegetable topping evenly over the filling. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the top is lightly browned. Top with a bit more chopped parsley and enjoy!
