Smoky Lentil Mushroom Shepherd's Pie Cups with Chive Yogurt Mash

Smoky Lentil Mushroom Shepherd's Pie Cups with Chive Yogurt Mash 🥔🍄 These individual shepherd's pie cups are cozy, practical and full of savoury depth: a smoky lentil-mushroom filling sits under a creamy chive yogurt mash, then bakes until the potato ridges turn golden and crisp. The key is browning the mushrooms first and reducing the filling until glossy, so every spoonful is saucy without turning watery. 🌿 Yield: 4 generous cups Time: about 1 hour Ingredients: - 700 g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks - 2 tbsp butter or olive oil, plus extra for brushing - 120 g thick Greek yogurt - 2 tbsp finely chopped chives - 1 tbsp olive oil - 300 g chestnut or cremini mushrooms, finely chopped - 1 small onion, finely diced - 1 carrot, finely diced - 1 celery stick, finely diced - 2 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced - 2 tbsp tomato paste - 1 tsp smoked paprika - 1/2 tsp ground cumin - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 tsp dried thyme - 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari - 1 tsp balsamic vinegar - 250 g cooked brown or green lentils, drained - 180-220 ml vegetable stock - 1 tsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp cold water, optional for extra body - Salt and black pepper - Parsley or extra chives, to finish Method: 1. Heat the oven to 210 C / 410 F. Lightly oil four ovenproof ramekins or small baking dishes and place them on a tray. 2. Cook the potatoes. Put the potatoes in salted water, bring to a boil and simmer for 15-18 minutes, until completely tender. Drain well, steam-dry for 2 minutes, then mash with butter or olive oil, Greek yogurt, chives, salt and black pepper. Keep the mash thick enough to hold fork ridges. 3. Brown the mushrooms. Heat olive oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms with a pinch of salt and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring now and then, until they release their liquid and start to brown. This step builds the savoury base. 4. Build the filling. Add onion, carrot and celery to the mushrooms. Cook for 6-8 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, smoked paprika, cumin and thyme, then cook for 1 minute until the tomato paste darkens slightly. 5. Add lentils and liquid. Stir in soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, lentils and vegetable stock. Simmer for 8-12 minutes, until the filling is glossy and spoonable but not soupy. If it looks thin, stir in the cornflour slurry and simmer for 1 minute more. Taste and adjust salt, pepper or vinegar. 6. Assemble. Divide the filling between the ramekins. Spoon the chive yogurt mash on top, spreading it to the edges to seal in the filling. Use a fork to make ridges and peaks, then brush or drizzle lightly with oil. 7. Bake. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the filling bubbles at the edges and the potato ridges are golden. For extra colour, broil/grill for 1-2 minutes at the end, watching closely. 8. Rest and serve. Let the cups stand for 5 minutes before serving so the filling settles. Finish with parsley or extra chives. 🥄 Serving and storage: Serve with a crisp green salad, steamed peas or roasted carrots. The filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and chilled. Assembled cups keep covered in the fridge for 24 hours before baking; add 5-8 minutes to the bake time if starting cold. Leftovers keep for 3 days and reheat best in the oven so the mash can crisp again. 💚 Save this one for a vegetarian comfort dinner with golden potato peaks and a rich mushroom-lentil middle. Tasteloom.club