Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

PreparationMake stew: Blanch pearl onions in a 2-quart saucepan of boiling water 2 minutes, then drain and cool in an ice bath to stop cooking. Peel onions and trim, leaving root ends intact. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 5-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown seitan in 3 batches, turning occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes (add 2 tablespoons oil between batches). Transfer to a plate. Cook leeks in remaining 3 tablespoons oil with 1/4 teaspoon salt in pot over medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until they just begin to give off liquid, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, parsnips, thyme, and rosemary and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a bowl. Add wine to pot and boil until reduced to about 1 cup, 10 to 15 minutes. While wine reduces, make a beurre manié by stirring together butter and flour in a small bowl to form a paste. Add stock to wine and bring to a brisk simmer. Whisk in beurre manié, then simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Add seitan, pearl onions, and vegetable mixture to pot and simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Make topping while stew simmers: Peel potatoes and cut into 2-inch pieces. Cover potatoes and celery root with cold water in a 4-to 5-quart heavy pot, then simmer, partially covered, until very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain in a colander. Bring butter, milk, and cream to a simmer in pot over medium heat, stirring until butter has melted. Stir in reserved cooking water, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Remove from heat. Force potatoes and celery root through ricer into hot milk mixture and stir gently to combine. Finish pie: Preheat broiler. Put baking dish in a large 4-sided sheet pan and transfer stew to dish. Spoon potato mixture over stew and spread evenly to cover. Broil about 3 inches from heat until top is golden, about 5 minutes. Cooks’ notes:• You can use more potatoes in place of the celery root. • Stew and potato topping can be made 1 day ahead (reserve an additional cup potato-cooking water) and chilled separately. Reheat potato topping slowly in a microwave or in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, adding enough cooking water to reach desired consistency. Bring stew to a simmer over low heat before topping with warm potato mixture.

PreparationMake stew: Blanch pearl onions in a 2-quart saucepan of boiling water 2 minutes, then drain and cool in an ice bath to stop cooking. Peel onions and trim, leaving root ends intact. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 5-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown seitan in 3 batches, turning occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes (add 2 tablespoons oil between batches). Transfer to a plate. Cook leeks in remaining 3 tablespoons oil with 1/4 teaspoon salt in pot over medium heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until they just begin to give off liquid, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, parsnips, thyme, and rosemary and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a bowl. Add wine to pot and boil until reduced to about 1 cup, 10 to 15 minutes. While wine reduces, make a beurre manié by stirring together butter and flour in a small bowl to form a paste. Add stock to wine and bring to a brisk simmer. Whisk in beurre manié, then simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Add seitan, pearl onions, and vegetable mixture to pot and simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Make topping while stew simmers: Peel potatoes and cut into 2-inch pieces. Cover potatoes and celery root with cold water in a 4-to 5-quart heavy pot, then simmer, partially covered, until very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain in a colander. Bring butter, milk, and cream to a simmer in pot over medium heat, stirring until butter has melted. Stir in reserved cooking water, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Remove from heat. Force potatoes and celery root through ricer into hot milk mixture and stir gently to combine. Finish pie: Preheat broiler. Put baking dish in a large 4-sided sheet pan and transfer stew to dish. Spoon potato mixture over stew and spread evenly to cover. Broil about 3 inches from heat until top is golden, about 5 minutes. Cooks’ notes:• You can use more potatoes in place of the celery root. • Stew and potato topping can be made 1 day ahead (reserve an additional cup potato-cooking water) and chilled separately. Reheat potato topping slowly in a microwave or in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, adding enough cooking water to reach desired consistency. Bring stew to a simmer over low heat before topping with warm potato mixture.