I never had the traditional Shepherd’s Pie, which involves beef (or lamb? I don’t even know!) but I have to say, I’ll bet this vegetarian version would rival it.  Tempeh replicates the ground meat texture, mushrooms, gravy and corn give it flavah, and how could you argue with creamy mashed potatoes on top?  Hubby loved this dish too.  And why not?  It’s rich, flavorful, and filling – a great way to get a meatless meal into your man.

Tempeh Shepherdess Pie

Tempeh and Veggie Layer
1 package tempeh (the garden veggie flav is my fav)
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, medium-diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 package sliced shiitake or gourmet blend mushrooms (NOT button!)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen peas, optional*
2 cups veggie broth
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
parsley for garnish (optional)

Potato Layer
6 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and large-diced
1/3 cup skim milk
1/4 cup nonfat Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

• In a large, preferably nonstick, skillet, crumble tempeh into small bits.  Add soy sauce and water, cover, and allow to boil for approximately 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, boil the potatoes.
• Remove the cover from the tempeh and allow to cook approximately 5 more minutes, until liquid is mostly reduced.  Drain the tempeh and set aside.
• In the same pan, set over medium-high heat, add olive oil and onion and saute until onion is translucent and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and saute for one additional minute.  Return tempeh to the pan and add mushrooms.  Saute all together over medium heat for about 10 minutes.  When the tempeh is brown and the mushrooms have plumped up and browned a bit too, add the corn and (if using) peas.  Cook until veggie mix is heated through, adding extra oil if necessary.
• Meanwhile, drain and mash your potatoes, then stir in milk and yogurt.  Season with salt, pepper and thyme.  This would also be a good time to preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
• Mix together veggie broth and flour until mostly smooth.  Add to veggie mix, stir, and allow mixture to cook down until the liquid turns to mmmmmm gravy.
• Assemble pie in a 9-inch round dish (unless using peas, see Nota Baker, below): spread out a layer of veggie mix on the bottom and top with mashed potatoes.  It doesn’t have to look perfect – in fact, it’s Shepherdess Pie, so it should look a little rustic!  Bake pie for 20 minutes, just until the top is slightly browned (only slightly) and the filling is warm through.  Slice and serve!  It will be a little runny, but that’s okay.  Like I said, it’s supposed to be rustic.

Source: Adapted and non-veganified from Veganomicon, by Isa Chanda Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.

*Nota Baker: The original recipe calls for frozen peas.  I included them above but omitted them in my version because the hubs doesn’t care for peas.  I know, he’s crazy.  If you want to add them back in – I would, if it was just for me! – then use one cup and add them at the same time as the corn, as detailed above.  I found that the recipe, without the peas and using only one tempeh block (the original recipe called for two) fit perfectly into my 9-inch pie dish.  If you are planning to “beef” up the dish with more tempeh (if you do, add another cup of water when you’re boiling it at the beginning) or by including the peas, you may need a bigger dish.  I think this would look nice and rustic in a deeper 8-x-8 casserole dish.