Vegetarian Sheperd's Pie

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, well chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 large carrots (500g/1lb 2oz in total), cut into 1 cm chunks
• 2 tbsp thyme chopped
• 200ml red wine
• 400g chopped tomatoes (or a tin)
• 2 vegetable stock cubes
• 450g green lentils (soaked and cooked, or a tin)
• 1kg sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
• 50g butter
• 100g cheddar, grated

Method

• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan, then fry the onion until golden, chope the garlic well and add it.

• Add the carrot and most of the thyme, reserving a sprinkling for later.

• Pour in the red wine, 150ml water and the chopped tomatoes, then crumble in 2 vegetable stock cubes and simmer for 10 mins. Add salt and pepper and chilli if you like.

• Add the green lentils with the water they were cooked in (or in the tin with), then cover and simmer for another 10 mins, or until the carrots still have a bit of bite and the lentils are no longer separate. Turn off and leave to sit.

• Boil the sweet potatoes for 15 mins, or until soft, drain and then mash with the butter and season to taste.

• Put the lentil mixture into an oven dish, cover with the mash and sprinkle over the cheddar and the remaining thyme. (The pie can now be covered and chilled for 2 days, or frozen for up to a month.)

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Cook for 20 mins if cooking straightaway, or for 40 mins from chilled, until golden brown on top and hot all the way through. Serve and enjoy.