Vegan squash and mushroom pie recipe
 The filling of this unusual meat-free shepherd’s pie is packed with spices, dates, preserved lemons and topped with fresh mint and fried parsley. 1kg/2lb 4oz Maris piper potatoes, peeled and diced2 tbsp olive oil1 red onion, finely chopped3 garlic cloves, crushed2 celery sticks, finely chopped1 tbsp cumin seeds 1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika 1 red chilli, finely chopped 2 bay leaves 1 stick rosemary 350g/12oz chestnut mushrooms, quartered 1 small butternut squash, roughly chopped165g/5¾oz pitted dates, roughly chopped300g/10½ oz chopped fresh tomatoes 400g tin chickpeas 2 preserved lemons, finely chopped100g/3½oz vegan butter2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mintvegetable oil, for deep fryinghandful parsley leaves 1kg/2lb 4oz Maris piper potatoes, peeled and diced 2 tbsp olive oil 1 red onion, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed 2 celery sticks, finely chopped 1 tbsp cumin seeds 1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika 1 red chilli, finely chopped 2 bay leaves 1 stick rosemary 350g/12oz chestnut mushrooms, quartered 1 small butternut squash, roughly chopped 165g/5¾oz pitted dates, roughly chopped 300g/10½ oz chopped fresh tomatoes 400g tin chickpeas 2 preserved lemons, finely chopped 100g/3½oz vegan butter 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint vegetable oil, for deep frying handful parsley leaves Method Boil the potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling water until cooked through. Drain the potatoes, mash them and set aside. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.Heat half the olive oil in a saucepan and add the onion, garlic and celery. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the spices, chilli, bay leaves and rosemary, then the mushrooms and butternut squash. Fry for a further 10 minutes before adding the dates, tomatoes, chickpeas, preserved lemons and 400ml/14fl oz water. Bring to the boil, then simmer until you have a pie filling consistency. Tip into a pie dish. Beat the vegan butter and remaining olive oil into the mash with most of the mint and pipe or spoon on top of the filling. Bake for 30 minutes until golden-brown and bubbling. Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or pan until a cube of bread sizzles and browns when dropped in (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended). Carefully add the parsley leaves to the hot oil and once cooked, remove using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.Garnish the shepherd’s pie with the remaining mint and crispy parsley leaves and serve. Boil the potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling water until cooked through. Drain the potatoes, mash them and set aside. Boil the potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling water until cooked through. Drain the potatoes, mash them and set aside. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Heat half the olive oil in a saucepan and add the onion, garlic and celery. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the spices, chilli, bay leaves and rosemary, then the mushrooms and butternut squash. Fry for a further 10 minutes before adding the dates, tomatoes, chickpeas, preserved lemons and 400ml/14fl oz water. Bring to the boil, then simmer until you have a pie filling consistency. Tip into a pie dish. Heat half the olive oil in a saucepan and add the onion, garlic and celery. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the spices, chilli, bay leaves and rosemary, then the mushrooms and butternut squash. Fry for a further 10 minutes before adding the dates, tomatoes, chickpeas, preserved lemons and 400ml/14fl oz water. Bring to the boil, then simmer until you have a pie filling consistency. Tip into a pie dish. Beat the vegan butter and remaining olive oil into the mash with most of the mint and pipe or spoon on top of the filling. Bake for 30 minutes until golden-brown and bubbling. Beat the vegan butter and remaining olive oil into the mash with most of the mint and pipe or spoon on top of the filling. Bake for 30 minutes until golden-brown and bubbling. Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or pan until a cube of bread sizzles and browns when dropped in (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended). Carefully add the parsley leaves to the hot oil and once cooked, remove using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Heat the oil in a deep-fat fryer or pan until a cube of bread sizzles and browns when dropped in (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended). Carefully add the parsley leaves to the hot oil and once cooked, remove using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Garnish the shepherd’s pie with the remaining mint and crispy parsley leaves and serve. Garnish the shepherd’s pie with the remaining mint and crispy parsley leaves and serve.