A walnut/peanut filling with lemony-peppery thyme in a sundried tomato and onion gravy overload with cheesy potato slices; Cottage Pie.
My dish will overload your mouth with a bit of sensual pleasure. Indulge in this dish.
This dish will tumble any belief that vegan food can’t be fulfilling.
When to Make This Recipe:
Make this:
- When you’re craving a hearty, satisfying Sunday lunch that will transport you back to your school cafeteria days
- When the weather is cold and you’re in the mood for a nourishing, homemade meal that will warm you from the inside out
- When you’re hosting friends for the weekend and want to serve up a wholesome, crowd-pleasing dish before heading out for a night on the town
Inspiration Behind the Recipe:
This Cottage Pie recipe was inspired by the nostalgic flavours of my school cafeteria days. I’ve given this traditional English dish, dating back to the 1700s, a vegan spin.
The savoury walnut and peanut filling is the star, elevated by the bright, peppery notes of thyme. Additionally, the sundried tomato and onion gravy, with hints of tamarind and cayenne, adds a delightful punch of flavour to the buttery, cheesy potato topping.
Recipe highlights:
- Vegan, a hearty and satisfying main course
- Features a rich and savoury walnut and peanut filling with lemony-peppery thyme
- Includes a flavourful sundried tomato and onion gravy with a spicy kick from cayenne
- Ideal for a cold weather meal, a comforting Sunday lunch, or a crowd-pleasing dish for a gathering
What equipment to use:
For this recipe, I suggest:
High-speed blender
Stove
Oven
What to do next:
Tag me on @ethiveganquantum on Instagram to show me what you’ve made and let me know you’re happy for me to share.
My recipes are featured in vegan speciality publications: Nourished, Vegan Life, Plant Based and Vegan, Food and Living.
Order my first self-published book, “Essence: The Beginner’s Guide to Veganism” part of the three-part Circle of Food series. My second book “Presence: The Ascending Vegan” – which explores how to maintain a vegan practice is out in 2027 – I have compiled all the chapters including recipes.
Going strong since 2013.
Love.
Edward x
Ingredients
- 150g walnuts
- 150g peanuts
- 300ml filtered water
- 30g sundried tomatoes
- 175ml red wine
- 2tbs olive oil
- 1 onion
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stick, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- leaves of few sprigs of thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1tbs tomato puree
- 1tbs tamarind sauce
- pinch cayenne pepper
- Season to taste
- For topping
- 1kg potatoes, peeled
- 1tsp wholegrain mustard
- 40g olive oil
- Pinch of salt
- 10g nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Soak the sundried tomatoes in water for at least 30 minutes and set to one side.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius or a convection oven to 160 degrees Celsius.
- Sauté the onion in olive oil until translucent. Add in the garlic, and cook over a medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add in the white wine and bay leaves and cook under a low heat for about 10 minutes.
- In a blender blend together the tomatoes and water to form a stock. Pour into the white wine mixture. Continuing cooking for a couple of minutes. Switch off the heat
- Add in the tamarind, puree, thyme and pinch of cayenne pepper. Stir.
- In a chopper, chop the walnuts and peanuts to a small crunchy consistency. Swirl into the white wine mixture.
- Transfer the filling to an oven proof dish (9-inch). Lay it on the base of the dish.
- Peel and thinly slice the potatoes and place into a saucepan of fresh water. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 5 minutes. Drain and set to one side in. bowl.
- In a separate mixing bowl, use a fork to mix together the oil, mustard and salt to form a dressing
- Swirl the mustard dressing into the potatoes until covered.
- Layer the potatoes on top of the walnut/peanut mixture. Drizzle over any of the remaining mustard dressing.
- Cover with aluminium foil and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Sprinkle on the nutritional yeast, remove the foil and bake for a further 10 minutes.
- Serve warm.
