A fairly simple recipe that has just proved a hit on our first super yacht cruise.

Vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie with meat substitute

• 3kg sweet potatoes, scrubbed well and pierced all over with a fork or normal potatoes
• 60 ml canola oil, plus extra for greasing casserole dish
• 4 onions, chopped
• 4 red peppers, diced
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 30 ml ground cumin
• 4 x A2 black beans (no salt added), well rinsed and drained
• 1 Kg meat substitute, lightly browned
• 1 Kg frozen corn.
• 1 Kg mild or medium salsa, deli-style
• 100 ml) finely chopped cilantro
• Black pepper
• 200 ml thinly sliced green onion or chopped cilantro, for garnish
• 1 x A2 Coconut cream

1. Heat oven to 180 C (350 F). Bake sweet potatoes for 60 minutes or until tender.
2. Lightly grease a baking dish with canola oil or line with wet parchment paper. Set aside.
3. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, red pepper, garlic and cumin. Cook, stirring often, for 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in black beans, meat substitute, corn and salsa until well combined.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Pour into prepared pan. If you used a microwave to cook sweet potatoes, at this point heat oven to 180 C (350 F).
6. Meanwhile, cut cooled sweet potatoes in half and scrape out flesh. Discard skins. Mash sweet potato well with coconut cream. Stir in cilantro. Season with pepper, if desired.
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until heated through and bubbly. Sprinkle top of casserole with green onion