Veggie Shepherds Pie

Name: "Veggie Shepherds Pie"
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 5 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: "2 tbsp vegetable oil"; "1 large onion, diced small"; "3 large carrots, diced small"; "1 tsp dried thyme"; "1 cup brown or green lentils"; "4 tbsp red wine (or less of red wine vinegar)"; "1.5-2 cups water"; "1-2 tsp salt"; "2-3 lbs yukon gold potatoes (buy a 5 pound bag and sort out quantity, see below)"; "Few tsp salt"; "3 large garlic cloves, peeled but left whole"; "Butter or olive oil (if vegetarian or making vegan)"; "Black pepper"; "4 cups chopped kale (2 bunches)"; "2 cloves garlic, chopped roughly"; "Parmesan cheese"

Hearty vegetarian version with lentils, vegetables, and creamy mashed potato topping

Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced small
3 large carrots, diced small
1 tsp dried thyme
1 cup brown or green lentils
4 tbsp red wine (or less of red wine vinegar)
1.5-2 cups water
1-2 tsp salt
2-3 lbs yukon gold potatoes (buy a 5 pound bag and sort out quantity, see below)
Few tsp salt
3 large garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
Butter or olive oil (if vegetarian or making vegan)
Black pepper
4 cups chopped kale (2 bunches)
2 cloves garlic, chopped roughly
Parmesan cheese

Instructions (do filling and mashed potatoes concurrently to save time)

Filling: In small sauce pan on medium heat, saute onion, carrot and thyme until softened (~5 minutes). Add lentils and wine and stir well, bring to lively simmer. Add 1.5 cups water and bring back to simmer. Lower heat, cover and cook until tender (~40 minutes). Add more water if necessary. Taste at end and add salt if needed. Set aside
Mashed potatoes: Get a large/wide soup pot and fill one layer (only one layer) densely with potatoes. Then add water until just the last millimeter of potato is above the water line. Add whole garlic, plenty of salt/pepper and simmer for ~30 minutes or until potatoes are well cooked (more time does not hurt)
Remove potatoes and garlic from water (DO NOT discard water or drain) and mash in large mixing bowl. Add butter (or olive oil if making vegan), salt and liquid from pot until you have a good consistency and flavor of mashed potatoes. Add black pepper to taste
With final bit of garlic and chopped kale, heat more oil in frying pan and saute garlic briefly before adding kale (as much as you can fit). Add more kale as it shrinks until all is cooked. Stir constantly to avoid burning garlic
Combine kale mixture with filling mixture and put in greased baking dish (pick a size so filling is only ~1/2 inch tall in dish and evenly spread). Add mashed potatoes and spread evenly on top with spoon (this layer can be thicker). Sprinkle heavily with parmesan cheese. Cook at 350°F for 25 minutes. During final 2 minutes, set oven to broil and brown the cheesy top (watch carefully so no burning)
Remove from oven, slice and serve. It cools quickly enough