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Allotment Cottage Pie [Video]

Root veggies, porcini mushrooms, Marmite & crispy rosemary.
Extraordinarily delicious, this corker of a recipe is super nutritious and comforting – and guaranteed to put a smile on anyone’s face. Think of this as another principle recipe and let it bend and flex to work for you. Have fun with it.
Note: Commonly used in the UK and increasingly elsewhere, an allotment is a small, usually public plot of land rented by an individual or family for growing their own fruits, flowers, and vegetables. Unlike community gardens where people tend the land collectively, individual allotment gardeners manage their own specific parcels.
Total Time2 hours
Author: Jamie Oliver - From "Veg"

Equipment

  • Casserole pan, or Dutch oven
  • Baking tray

Ingredients

  • 10 g / ⅓oz dried porcini mushrooms (about a loose half-cup)
  • 600 ml boiling water
  • 2 large leeks (trimmed, washed, and sliced ¾-inch thick)
  • 3 carrots
  • 500 g / 1.1 lb swede / rutabaga
  • 500 g / 1.1 lb celeriac / celery root
  • olive oil
  • 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 kg / 4.4 lb potatoes (In the US, Russet or Yukon Gold work best fo rmashing)
  • 40 g / 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 splash semi-skimmed milk (2% milk)
  • 1 onion
  • 1 tsp Marmite (or vegetable bouillon paste)
  • 3 Tbsp tomato purée / tomato paste
  • 1 (400g) / (14-15oz) can green lentils

Instructions

  • Prepare the Mushroom Broth: Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5.
    In a blender, cover the porcini with 600ml / 2½ cups of boiling water, and let them steep.
  • Sauté the Aromatics: Trim, wash and slice the leeks 2cm / ¾-inch thick, then chop the carrots, swede/rutabaga, and celeriac/celery root to roughly the same size as the sliced leeks.
    Drizzle 2 Tbsp of oil into a large casserole pan on a medium heat, strip in the rosemary, sauté for 1 minute until crisp, then remove to a plate with a slotted spoon.
  • Cook the Roots: Add the cumin seeds and chopped root veggies to the flavoured oil, season with sea salt and black pepper, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring regularly, so they soften evenly.
  • Make the Mash: Meanwhile, peel and roughly chop the potatoes, boil in a pan of boiling salted water for 15 minutes, or until tender, then drain well. Mash with the butter and milk, and season to taste.
  • Build the Gravy Base: Quarter the onion, add to the porcini in the blender along with the Marmite and tomato purée and blend until smooth.
  • Caramelize: Pour the smooth mushroom mixture into the pot of root veggies and cook for 20 minutes, or until dark and caramelized, stirring regularly and scraping up any sticky bits from the bottom of the pan.
  • Assemble and Bake: Tip the lentils (juices and all) into the pot, bring to the boil, then season to taste.
    Smooth the mash evenly over the top of the mixture. Place the pot on a tray (to catch any bubbles), and bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly golden and bubbling at the edges, then sprinkle over the crispy rosemary.
  • Serve: Sprinkle the crispy rosemary bits over the top.
    Serve with simple steamed seasonal greens – it’s a winner!

Notes

Tip

I’ve used dried porcini mushrooms to bolster the flavour of the gravy, but you could absolutely use fresh mushrooms, or just rely on a good stock cube.

Easy Swaps

  • When it comes to herbs, use any woody herbs you’ve got: rosemary, thyme, bay, sage, or even a bit of dried herbs.
  • Use any root veg in the filling, or the topping.
  • This recipe celebrates beautiful veg, but you could add veggie mince into the mix, if you’ve got it.