Springtime Gardener’s Pie

Gardener’s Pie is typically a vegetarian variation  on the meat-filled, mashed potato topped Shepherd’s pie.  While Shepherd’s Pie may be more of a heavy winter meal, this lighter Gardener’s Pie is bursting with fresh spring vegetables and has a bright lemon zest gremolata garnish. For the topping, I wanted to find something different than mashed potatoes that would still be  reminiscent of the original dish, so I created a delicious mash of root vegetables. The resulting pie is the perfect combination of winter and spring vegetables to help get you ready for all the fresh spring produce to come.  If want to try another version of Shepherd’s Pie check out  Petite Root Vegetable Shepherd's Pie  or  Individual Shepherd's Pie.

Springtime Gardener’s Pie
Gluten Free
Serves Two (Makes Two Individual Sized Pies)
Click Here for Printable Recipe



Ingredients--
Roasted Vegetable Topping:
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
3 radishes, chopped
2 ounces parsnip (approximately 1 small parsnip), chopped
1/8 head of cauliflower, broken into small florets
2 ounces turnip root (approximately 1/2 of a medium turnip), chopped
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup unsweetened original almond milk
3/4 cup vegetable broth, check for gluten
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
dash of red pepper flakes, to taste
Salt & Pepper, to taste

Spring Vegetable Filling:
1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
11-12 brussels sprouts, quartered
11-12 asparagus spears, cut into 2- inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Salt & Pepper

Gremolata Garnish:
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon Fleur De Sel Salt
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Special Equipment-- (2) 15 oz. oval ramekins or baking dishes (about 8 inches in diameter)


Roasted Vegetable Topping:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray.

2. Add parsnip, cauliflower, and turnip root to baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with curry powder, thyme, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to toss vegetables in oil and spices until evenly coated.



3. Roast vegetables 32-38 minutes, or until very tender, stirring halfway through cooking.



4. Remove vegetables from oven (leave oven on at 400 degrees) and carefully transfer to a tall mixing bowl. Pour in milk and vegetable broth, then use an immersion to puree topping until smooth (Alternatively, transfer mixture to a food processor/blender and pulse until smooth).



5. Stir in Dijon, lemon juice, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Taste for seasoning, then set aside.

Spring Vegetable Filling:
1. While the topping is roasting, you can begin the filling. Add olive oil to a large nonstick skillet and heat to medium- low.

2. Add garlic to skillet and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. Raise heat to medium-high, then add Brussels sprouts to skillet, and spread out into an even layer. Let sprouts cook, undisturbed, until golden on the bottom, 5-7 minutes. Stir, and continue cooking until golden on all sides, 4-6 minutes more.



4. Stir in asparagus spears, and sauté 2-3 minutes or until asparagus is just slightly tender. Season vegetables with thyme, basil, salt, and pepper. Remove pan from heat and stir in balsamic vinegar.




Baking & Assembling the Pies:
1. Spray two ramekins or mini-loaf pans with nonstick spray. Add 1/2 of the spring vegetable filling into each ramekin, then scoop half of the root vegetable topping on top. Use a spoon to spread topping into an even layer and sprinkle with a dash of paprika.



2. Bake pies 15-18 minutes, or until beginning to turn golden on top.



3. While the pies are baking, prepare the Gremolata Garnish--simply stir together all garnish ingredients in a small bowl until combined. Set aside.

4. Let pies cool for 3-5 minutes, then sprinkle tops evenly with garnish. Enjoy right out of ramekins or transfer to plates, if you prefer.




Nutrition Information--approximately 162 calories per pie (1/2 of the recipe)