Chicken & Lentil Cottage Pie

[judydawn]

Name of Recipe:Chicken & Lentil Cottage Pie
Number of People: 4 - 6 serves
Ingredients:
1 medium onion, quartered
1 clove garlic
25g olive oil
300 - 500g chicken thighs, defatted and cut in halves
140g red lentils, weighed then rinsed
375g chicken stock
250g passata
45g roasted red capsicum (optional)
400-500g frozen mixed vegies
3 - 4 tblspns cornflour mixed with 3-4 tblspns water to thicken
S & P to taste

Approx 900g potatoes - peel and cut into 2.5cm dice
1.25 litres boiling water
S & P to taste
20g butter or margarine
45g milk
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese (or use as much as you want) & oil spray

Preparation:

Chop onion and garlic 2 sec/speed 5. Scrape down sides, add the oil and saute 4 mins/100^oC/reverse/speed 1.

Add chicken and cook for 6 mins/90^oC/reverse/speed 1.

Add red lentils, chicken stock, passata & roasted red capsicum if using.

Cook for 8 mins/100^oC/reverse/speed 1.

Add frozen vegies and cook 5 mins/100^oC/reverse/speed 1, adding the cornflour mixture in the last 30 seconds through the lid. Turn the speed up to 2 at this stage. Add S & P to taste.

Spray a 32 x 23 x 4-5cm lasagne dish and pour the mixture into it.  Set aside whilst making the topping. Clean the bowl.

Fill the steaming basket with diced potatoes.  Pour the boiling water into the TM bowl, put the steaming basket in place and cook the potatoes for 30 mins/varoma temp/speed 3.

Preheat oven to 180^oC.

Check to make sure the potatoes are tender enough for mashing. Remove the basket with the spatula, empty the bowl, insert the butterfly and tip the potatoes back in.  Add butter/margarine, S & P to taste and the milk. Mash for 8 sec/speed 4.

Either pipe rosettes on top of the pie base or spread the potato over the top. It is best to wait until the base has cooled so that the potato doesn't sink. I make the base one day and top with potato the next.

Spray with oil, sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top and bake 30-40 mins until heated through and potato is brown. If you make the pie in advance and reheat later, it will take longer.


Photos:

Tips/Hints:

Cooked chicken can be used - just add it in with the vegies.

JD - members' comments

KarenH - it was delicious!!  Used fresh veggies chopped in the TMX instead of frozen ones and we didn't have enough potato so I added some pumpkin into the mash as well.  Absolutely gorgeous, and enjoyed by all.  Thanks JD! 

CP - yummy dish JD. When we were putting the mash on top it sort of plopped into the dish and sank therefore got lost so was harder to spread out evenly on top (sort of did tho). Next time would pipe mixture on top so it would sit nice like shepherds pie. The passata weighed 250g and was the Cucina brand in the 720g bottle. Will be making again.

JD - Did you leave the base to cool down before adding the topping CP, even better to make the base the day before for the flavours to develop.

CC - Lovely recipe Judy, thanks.

JulieO - I made this, this morning to allow it to chill for ease of spreading the potato over the top.  Only changes were to use a tin of cherry toms instead of passata and I used up some veg from the fridge instead of using frozen which needed to be cooked for an extra 5 mins.
Really enjoyed this. I split the mixture up into 2 baking dishes, one which is now in the freezer for an easy meal on another night.  I may add a bit more chicken next time otherwise I wouldn't change anything else. Thanks for a great, tasty meal Judy. 

[judydawn]

Here's the finished dish, it wouldn't let me put 2 photos on.

[CreamPuff63]

Lovely looking dish JD, thanks for the recipe 

[Cornish Cream]

That looks good Judy,were you cooking for visitors? Definitely on "my to do list" because you know DH loves his spuds

[judydawn]

No, just us two CC - I never do a new conversion on visitors.  No cooking tomorrow now though.

[Cornish Cream]

No, just us two CC - I never do a new conversion on visitors.  No cooking tomorrow now though.

I'm the same Judy,never brave enough to just cook something I have never tried before, that's just asking for trouble

[Yvette]

Yum looks nice will try and make it soon

[KarenH]

Made this last night, and it was delicious!!  Used fresh veggies chopped in the TMX instead of frozen ones, and we didnt have enough potato, so I added some pumpkin into the mash as well.  Absolutely gorgeous, and enjoyed by all.  Thanks JD! 

[judydawn]

Thanks Karen, glad you liked it.

[CreamPuff63]

yummy dish JD. When we were putting the mash on top it sort of plopped into the dish and sank therefore got  lost so was harder to spread out evenly on top (sort of did tho). Next time would pipe mixture on top so it would sit nice like shepherds pie. The passata weighed 250g and was the Cucina brand in the 720g bottle. Will be making again.

[dede]

Thanks Judy for the recipe, Will give this one a go. I think this one could be a hit with my lot.

[judydawn]

Thanks CP, have put the weight for the passata in now. Forgot about this one    Did you leave the base to cool down before adding the topping CP, even better to make the base the day before for the flavours to develop. I think this dish would be nice too with my filo topping as in this recipe.

[Very Happy Jan]

Thanks for bumping this one CP63. I've been thinking about adding more lentils into our diet but hadn't got around to finding recipes.

[Cornish Cream]

I had the good intention to have this for supper this evening but guess who forgot to buy potatoes and I didn't have any filo in the freezer either So it is in the fridge to finish off for tomorrow,so will report back

[judydawn]

Will taste better tomorrow anyway CC.