Meatless Mondays - Three Bean Shepherd's Pie with Baked Celeriac Mash

Celeriac: possibly the ugliest vegetable around but so much goodness and a guilt-free substitute for potatoes.

I just heard about this thing called Meatless Mondays. It’s a great American initiative that started in 2003 to get people to give up meat one day a week. As we know (and often ignore!), animal products in our food chain contributes to a third of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. That’s because the meat industry uses masses of energy to raise the livestock and poultry. Additionally, grazing livestock also add to the problem of land degradation. According to the good guys at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, simply turning your meal into a vegetarian one already reduces the carbon footprint of your meal by 70%.

So feeling slightly guilty after my Easter roast the other day, I’m starting the Meatless Monday movement from today. First one up is a guilt-free version of an English shepherd’s pie, the vegetarian version of course. Just replace the beef mince with goodness of three types of beans (red beans, chick peas and lentils – or any types of beans you fancy). And instead of a potato mash, I chose celeriac (celery root) which is currently in season. It is most definitely the butt-ugliest vegetable around. But don’t be scared to experiment with it! As I just found out it has less than half the calories and a third of carbohydrate content than potatoes. Even more guilt-free!

Three-bean Shepherd’s Pie with Baked Celeriac Mash

Serves 4-6 people, with plenty of leftovers

Ingredients

Filling:

(the main ingredients – feel free to change or omit ingredients)

1 can red beans

1 can chick peas

1 cup dry lentils

1 large bowl of water

1 carrot, cubed into small pieces

1 zucchini, cubed into small pieces

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 onions, chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon oregano

500mL (2 cups) vegetable stock

Olive oil for frying

Celeriac mash

4 large celeriac, trimmed, peeled and chopped into large chunks

1 tablespoon (about 50-60 g) butter, chopped

125mL (1/2 cup) milk

1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano (Parmesan cheese)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon garlic powder, optional

Method

Filling. Soak the lentils in a large bowl of water, leave soaking for about 30 minutes while you cut up all the vegetables.

Mash. Place chopped and peeled celeriac in a large pot of water. Bring water to boil and leave cooking for 20 minutes.

Filling. Drain lentils. In a large pan heat up a glug of olive oil. Over medium heat, brown onions and garlic for a few minutes. Add in carrot, zucchini, lentils, red beans, chickpeas, thyme, oregano, balsamic vinegar and tomato paste. Continue frying for a few minutes. Mix in the flour, this will thicken the sauce a bit. Pour in the vegetable stock, bring to boil while continuing stirring, then bring the heat down to simmer.

Mash. After 20 minutes the celeriac will become softer. Drain and put back in the pot. Add butter, milk, cheese and garlic powder if using. Season with salt and pepper. Mash the celeriac using a hand masher. Don't overmash because you want the top of the pie to be firm. 

In baking tray or pyrex glass tray start assembling the pie. Place the filling on the bottom (about half of the tray’s depth). Top with celeriac mash. Use a fork to fluff up the mash layer. Bake in the oven on 200 degrees C, for 20 minutes or until the celeriac layer turns golden and crispy. Serve immediately.