Shiitake Cottage Pie with Cauliflower Mash

To Make the Cauliflower Mash

1. Using a cheese grater, grate the cauliflower or chop finely.
2. Place a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the vegan butter. Allow the butter to melt.
3. Add the cauliflower and saute, stirring often, for a few minutes or until it smells nutty and appears lightly creamy.
4. Boil a kettle of water and add just enough boiling water to cover the cauliflower. Bring to a simmer and leave for around 10 minutes until the cauliflower is very soft.
5. Once soft, place a fine sieve over a medium-sized bowl and pour the cauliflower into the sieve. Very gently, using the back of a spoon, push out any residual water in the cauliflower then leave it in the sieve over the bowl for 5 minutes to steam dry. Reserve the strained water.
6. Place the cauliflower into a separate bowl and, using an immersion blender or a potato masher, puree/mash the cauliflower until smooth.
7. If the mixture seems too thick, add a few tablespoons of the strained cauliflower water, mix well and blend again. Set aside.

To Make the Filling

1. Place the dried shiitake mushrooms in a bowl and cover with the boiling water. Cover with a lid and leave to rehydrate for a minimum of 15 minutes.
2. Once the mushrooms are hydrated, begin making your filling. Place a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. Once hot, add the onion and fry lightly for a few minutes until starting to soften. Add the garlic, carrot, and celery and fry for a further 5 minutes, stirring often to ensure nothing burns. This is your mirepoix.
3. While the mirepoix cooks, remove the mushrooms from their soaking liquid and gently squeeze out any excess moisture before finely chopping them. They should resemble mince, so don’t worry if they aren’t cubed perfectly – they should be rough and irregular.
4. Add the mushrooms to the mirepoix and fry for a further minute or so. Add the flour and stir to coat all the vegetables.
5. Mix in the tomato puree, red wine, vegetable stock, soy sauce, thyme, and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and allow the mixture to bubble away gently for a few minutes until it has thickened slightly. Remove from the heat.

To Make the Cottage Pie

1. Preheat the oven to 200c.
2. Transfer the filling to a small, 2 person pie dish (rectangular or circular is fine). Level it out with the back of a spoon.
3. Carefully top the filling with the cauliflower mash and spread out in an even layer. Use a fork to create rough ridges in the pie then sprinkle with a little flaky sea salt and black pepper if desired.
4. Place the pie dish on a baking tray in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. If after 30 minutes you find the top isn’t browned, open the oven and turn to the grill/broil setting at maximum temperature. Grill until lightly browned.
5. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh parsley (optional) and enjoy!