Vegan Shepherd’s Pie

This recipe is Chef Brandon Brooks’ home-cooked, family-style vegan version of the dish served at Ritual Tavern. He sometimes uses seasonal vegetables in place of the Swiss chard, carrots or celery.

He suggests checking local farmers markets for such vegetables as winter squash, green beans, kale, sweet peppers, eggplant and fennel. Any or all of these, Brooks believes, are welcome additions to this recipe.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

For Vegan Mashed Potatoes

4 russet potatoes, peeled and boiled

¼ cup soy milk

1?8 cup vegan margarine or olive oil

Strain the cooked potatoes out of the boiling water. Combine still-hot boiled potatoes, soy milk and vegan margarine or olive oil in a mixing bowl and mash thoroughly. Add salt and white ground pepper to taste.

For Vegan Stew

2 ounces cooking oil

2 cups yellow onions, medium diced

½ cup carrots or seasonal vegetable, small diced

½ cup celery or seasonal vegetable, small diced

2 cups tomatoes, medium diced

½ cup cremini mushrooms, quartered

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 shallot, small diced

½ cup Swiss chard or seasonal vegetable, rough cut

1?8 cup ground paprika

16 ounces tofu, cubed

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, add oil, onions, carrots and celery. Sauté and turn the vegetables until translucent and tender. Add in the tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, shallot and Swiss chard and/or seasonal vegetables. Stir well. Simmer covered until tomatoes soften and break apart. Add just enough water to cover the vegetables and bring pot to a simmer, cook on low heat for an additional 15 minutes. Stir in the paprika and tofu. Add salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.

Assembling the pie

Pour the stew into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and ladle out excess liquid. Using a pastry bag, pipe mashed potatoes over the top of the stew. Place in the oven and bake at 375 degrees until potatoes are golden brown on top, approximately 30 minutes.

Using a large serving spoon or ladle, carefully transfer stew and potatoes intact and into bowls, and serve.

Ritual Tavern

Address: 4095 30th St., San Diego

Phone: (619) 283-1720

Information:

ritualtavern.com

To enjoy the warm coziness of an English pub, there’s no need to travel across the pond. Ritual Tavern in North Park provides that feel and features the food of yore — what co-owner Staci Wilkins calls “simple, old-fashioned and honest.” Most of what is served, from the mayonnaise to the pickles, is made in-house and is chemical-free.

“We call it a tavern because it’s loosely based on the pub concept — a place where you gather to eat and drink,” her husband and co-owner Michael Flores explained. “We’ve never been to Britain, but it’s based on that idea. There’s a lot of history to it — menus were different.”

Among the British-based favorites offered at Ritual Tavern are Fish Chips, Shepherd’s Pie (with lamb) and Vegan Shepherd’s Pie, which have been on the menu since the restaurant opened four years ago. For those vegetarians or vegans who enjoyed Shepherd’s Pie as kids, welcome back to comfort food.

Wilkins was born and raised in East County while Flores, who moved here as a toddler, grew up in Clairemont. The seeds for Ritual Tavern were planted when Flores was laid off from his job at an Internet firm.

“Michael was deciding between working again for ‘the man’ or working on something he’d enjoy,” said Wilkins, who has worked in restaurants most of her adult life. “He thought of a restaurant and — of course — I was all for it. He hitched onto the Linkery and learned the trials and tribulations of the restaurant process from (Linkery owner) Jay Porter.”

After several years of preparation, Ritual Tavern opened, with a comfortable, dark-wood ambience and a fresh but old-style menu. Especially with the recent addition of its open-air beer garden in back, Wilkins and Flores couldn’t be happier.

“It’s fun. It’s like having a party every day,” she said. “You clean up, get on your party clothes and then the guests come. It’s unpredictable. Even though we do see a lot of regulars, every day is different.”

She noted that many customers arrange special celebrations at the tavern because it offers a variety of dishes that please carnivores, vegetarians, vegans and people seeking gluten-free options. They know everyone can be accommodated.

“We don’t have to be extravagant in our cooking,” Wilkins said, “because the ingredients are quite tasty.”

About the dish

“Our chef Brandon Brooks came two years ago and made changes to some of our recipes,” Flores said. “He now uses Suzy Farm’s seasonal organic vegetables, which are very flavorful, in the shepherd’s pies. It was an insightful improvement.

“Essentially both versions are stews, which probably are on the easier side of preparation. It’s not a difficult dish.”

Readers are welcome to send restaurant suggestions for this column by emailing [email protected]

This site is hosted by (click on the graphic for more information)

Return from vegan to Home Page

Vegetarian, Raw and Vegan with Bill & Sheila