Once upon a time at a camp I attended in the summer, I opted for the vegetarian option and it was a vegetarian version of shepherd's pie, or what the French refer to as, 'Paté Chinoise'. The regular entrée wasn't even shepherd's pie, is was something completely different and I am guessing not great looking. But the shepherd's pie looked interesting and certainly intrigued me. It turned out to be a version I liked even better than the traditional.
Shepherd's pie is traditional meat-laden (usually ground lamb or beef), filled with chopped hard-boiled eggs, mixed with vegetables in a creamy sauce, and topped with creamy, butter mashed potatoes and sometimes cheese.
There are three vegetarian/vegan versions you could make. The first one would be as traditional as possible, just subbing the closest ingredient options (simulated ground beef crumbles, coconut cream sauce, mashed potatoes with vegan margarine). The second one, which is what I made, is not nearly as traditional, but actually much healthier. I used lentils (brown are a good option for looks, but I only had red on hand). I threw in whatever veggies I had and used lots of spice, and some oil and just a splash of cream for the sauce. Then I topped it with mashed sweet potato because I love them and they go so well with lentils, both taste-wise and nutritionally. A sprinkle of paprika, and dinner is served!!!
These vegetarian burgers contain no beans, but rather lentils which are very high in protein, fiber, and several vitamins and minerals. They get moisture from the pumpkin purée, though there is no strong pumpkin flavor imparted. They get some texture from the addition of olives, the breadcrumbs bind them, and flavor is provided by the seasonings, which of course could be amped up with the addition of any herbs and spices. These are a snap to make and good to have on hand for a nutritious meal or snack.
Lentil Burgers
1 cup dry red lentils, rinsed
water
salt
1/2 cup pure pumpkin purée
3/4 cup coarse dry breadcrumbs (from any type of bread)
1/3 cup chopped black olives
2 cloves garlic, minced
paprika
ground black pepper
onion salt
Cover the lentils with two inches of water in a small saucepan. Cook for 10-15 minutes until soft, but not mushy. Season with salt three-quarters of the way through cooking. Drain.
In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients, mixing well, Season to taste. See if the mixture will hold together in patties. If too dry, add a little more pumpkin, if too wet, add more breadcrumbs. I chilled the mixture briefly before forming patties to make it easier. This will make 8-10 small patties.
To cook, I prefer to fry these. They tend to break apart if fried in a lot of oil, so more is less in this case for a crispy coating. They may also be baked, broiled, grilled, or microwaved. They keep well in the refrigerator, either raw or cooked, or frozen, to be used as needed. Pictured here they are topped with chili pepper gouda and served on homemade buns.
I haven't really posted any more posts from my trip lately. I guess it's because I have been cooking and baking quite a bit lately. I thought I would share this post today, however, because it was one of the best culinary experiences I have ever had.
I had this for lunch at a posh, well decorated, yet reasonably priced café, that seemed to focus on real, sustainable food, and had plenty of options to suit everyone's tastes, including some vegan options. As I am not a huge meat fan, I opted for one of the vegan options, as did two others from our group of five. Luckily, we were not disappointed! I cannot remember the exact name of this dish, but it is composed of a mixture of green lentils and bean sprouts, mixed with some finely chopped vegetables and seasoning. On top are some beautifully cut pieces of cooked tofu - how it was cooked I am not entirely sure - but it was firm and very flavorful. Probably the star of the dish though, was the coconut foam served on top, one of the easier tricks in molecular gastronomy. This created a nice tasty sauce for the dish, and brought another intriguing texture to the mix. I must say, I am not a huge fan of foamy textures, but I did enjoy this. The entire dish was presented beautifully, with a sprig of lavender, and it was the perfect size for lunch. A very enjoyable meal - i would definitely order this again.
