This would have originally been Shepherd’s Pie, but the shepherds have grown more clever and figured out the thing with the box of donuts and the net, so this is vegetarian.
It is quite cold, and this is a warm, simple recipe.
Speaking of which, Happy Chinese New Year!
Since this recipe contains neither sheep nor goats, we will avoid the whole semantic argument.
I didn’t actually measure anything, so it will be approximate.

Ingredients:

• 1 pastry pie crust
• some olive oil
• 1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 chopped carrots
• chopped root vegetable: turk (neeps, turnips), beets, parsnips, what have you
• some (to taste, maybe one small) diced potatoes
• 3/4 cups TVP (texturized vegetable protein)
• 1 packet Colman’s Shepherd Pie seasonings (available at Krogers, and at other fine retailers.
• 2 bottles of Stout, red wine, water, or broth
• 1/2 cup red lentils
• 1/2 cup frozen or fresh peas
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (I prefer Dubliner or Cabots, both of which are rennet free)
• 3 cups or so of mashed potatoes

Step 1, It’s called pie for a reason: Bake a pie shell or acquire one by other means.

Step 2, frying: in a pot, heat a little oil and add the sliced mushrooms and onion. After they are browned, add the protein mixture and stir fry it a bit. Add the chopped carrots and potatoes.
In an iron pan (my iron pot is roughly the diameter of the pie tin, so I went with it), sauté sliced mushrooms until browning, then onions until browning, then add carrots, then slices of turk (turnip) and beet, then finally a little red onion.

Step 3, stewing: add a pack of Colman’s Shepherd Pie seasonings, 3/4 of a cup or so of TVP, a quarter cup or so of red lentils, and two bottles of Porter or Stout. You could use any liquid: wine, broth, whatever’s handy. If really using a Stout or Porter, make sure it isn’t too bitter. Stir and bring to a bubble, then cover and allow this to simmer for 30 minutes or so, while you prepare the mashed potatoes.

Step 4 mashing potatoes: my great, great grandmother made mashed potatoes for folks starting the Oregon Trail in Western Pennsylvania. It’s what made this country great.

Step 5,, putting it all together: fill the pie tin with the stew, sprinkle with some sharp cheddar, Top with mashed potatoes, broil the top of the potatoes a bit, and there you go.