Vegetarian Shepard's Pie

[kirra]

Vegetarian Shepard's Pie
Epicurious

An irresistible vegetarian main course can take a little extra love and time, but it's worth it. Fortunately, all the components of this shepherd's pie—from the heady vegetable stew with its red wine gravy to the crown of fluffy mashed potatoes and celery root—can be made ahead. Protein-rich seitan (pronounced "SAY-tan," it's sometimes labeled "wheat gluten") has long been used as a meat substitute by Asian cooks, who know how to coax the most out of its satisfyingly chewy texture. Seitan doesn't have a strong taste of its own, but it soaks up the flavors of whatever it's cooked with.

Ingredients:

Stew:
10 ounces pearl onions (about 2 1/4 cups)
9 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 1/2 pounds seitan, sliced 1/4 inch thick and patted dry
3 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved lengthwise, sliced 1/2 inch thick, and washed
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
3/4 pound carrots (about 4 medium), cut into 3/4-inch-thick pieces
3/4 pound parsnips (about 4 medium), cut into 3/4-inch-thick pieces
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
1 (750-ml) bottle full-bodied red wine such as Burgundy or Côtes du Rhône
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups hot rich vegetable stock
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Topping:
2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
3/4 pound celery root, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream

Special Equipment: a 3-quart shallow (2-inch-deep) flameproof baking dish; a potato ricer or a food mill fitted with medium disk

Preparation:

Stew:
Blanch pearl onions in a 2-quart saucepan of boiling water 2 minutes, then drain and cool in an ice bath to stop cooking. Peel onions and trim, leaving root ends intact.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 5-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown seitan in 3 batches, turning occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes (add 2 tablespoons oil between batches). Transfer to a plate.

Cook leeks in remaining 3 tablespoons oil with 1/4 teaspoon salt in pot over medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Add mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until they just begin to give off liquid, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, parsnips, thyme, and rosemary and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a bowl.

Add wine to pot and boil until reduced to about 1 cup, 10 to 15 minutes.
While wine reduces, make a beurre manié by stirring together butter and flour in a small bowl to form a paste.

Add stock to wine and bring to a brisk simmer. Whisk in beurre manié, then simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened slightly, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add seitan, pearl onions, and vegetable mixture to pot and simmer, covered, 30 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in parsley.

Topping:
Peel potatoes and cut into 2-inch pieces. Cover potatoes and celery root with cold water in a 4-to 5-quart heavy pot, then simmer, partially covered, until very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain in a colander.

Bring butter, milk, and cream to a simmer in pot over medium heat, stirring until butter has melted. Stir in reserved cooking water, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Remove from heat. Force potatoes and celery root through ricer into hot milk mixture and stir gently to combine.

Preheat broiler. Put baking dish in a large 4-sided sheet pan and transfer stew to dish.

Spoon potato mixture over stew and spread evenly to cover. Broil about 3 inches from heat until top is golden, about 5 minutes.

Notes:
You can use more potatoes in place of the celery root.

Stew and potato topping can be made 1 day ahead (reserve an additional cup potato-cooking water) and chilled separately. Reheat potato topping slowly in a microwave or in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, adding enough cooking water to reach desired consistency. Bring stew to a simmer over low heat before topping with warm potato mixture.