Golden Cottage Pie

If there's one thing that says comfort food, it's this Golden Cottage Pie. I love making this for non-vegan friends... and they love it too! 

Often, I adapt my recipes over time, but this cottage pie has stayed the same. The aroma of this pie baking in the oven is nostalgic to me; good hearty food that reminds me of my Mum's cooking. It freezes really well too, if you're not going to eat it all at once. 

To celebrate Meat-Free Week 2015, I'm showing that healthy eating doesn't have to be expensive. These prices are estimated from Sainsbury's in March 2015:

4 large baking potatoes- £1

200ml unsweetened soya milk- 8p

3 tbsp good quality olive oil- 9p

Generous pinch of sea salt- 1p

1 tbsp olive oil- 3p

1 onion- 10p 

1 stick of celery- 5p

1 clove of garlic- 2p

1 carrot- 5p 

2 tbsp frozen peas- 5p

100ml red wine- 40p

1 can (300g) green lentils-55p

1 tsp dried rosemary- 4p

1/2 tsp dried thyme- 2p 

1 tsp Marmite- 3p

200ml vegetable stock- 15p 

Total price to serve 4: £2.67

Price per portion: 67p 

Serves 4

Ingredients 

4 large baking potatoes, chopped roughly 

200ml unsweetened soya milk 

3 tbsp good quality olive oil, for mashing 

Generous pinch of sea salt

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped roughly 

1 stick of celery, finely chopped 

1 clove of garlic, crushed 

1 carrot, roughly chopped 

2 tbsp frozen peas 

100ml red wine (ensure vegan, I used Sainsbury's House Red) 

1 can (300g) green lentils, drained and rinsed 

1 tsp dried rosemary 

1/2 tsp dried thyme 

1 tsp Marmite

200ml vegetable stock 

Method 

1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add in the potatoes. Cover and boil for 20-25 minutes until soft. Drain the water thoroughly and mash in the soya milk and olive oil until completely smooth. Season with sea salt. 

2. Pre-heat the oven to 200C/ Gas mark 6 

3. To make the lentil mince, heat the olive oil and onion in a pan over a medium heat in until the onion starts to soften. Add in the celery, garlic, carrot, peas and red wine and cook for 2-3 minutes until the wine starts to reduce. Stir in the lentils, rosemary, thyme, Marmite and vegetable stock, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. 

4. Spoon the lentil mince into a heat-proof dish and even out with a spoon. Smooth over a layer of mashed potatoes. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the topping is gently crisp and golden. 

Enjoy! 

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