Exotic mushroom shepherd’s pie with chevre potato topping

This simple dish is deceptive – it delivers a surprising contrast of earthiness from the mushrooms complemented by the tang from goat cheese and buttermilk in the potato topping. You can make both components of this dish the day ahead, but assemble them just before cooking so the potato topping doesn’t absorb the mushroom-tomato mixture. If the potatoes have gotten a little stiff overnight, bring them to room temperature, then stir in a little more buttermilk.

Filling
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 pounds exotic mushrooms, such as portobello, cremini and chanterelle
2 cups cooked barley
1 16-ounce can crushed tomatoes
½ cup vegetable stock
¼ cup dried porcini mushrooms reconstituted in ¼ cup red wine or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
Topping
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cooked
4 ounces goat cheese
1 cup buttermilk
Salt and white pepper
2 tablespoons truffle oil or melted butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat large sauté pan over medium flame, add oil and onion and sauté until onions are translucent, about four minutes. Add tomato paste and sauté until deep brown, another five minutes or so. Add mushrooms and sauté until well browned and there is no liquid in the pan. Add barley, crushed tomatoes, vegetable stock, and porcini mushrooms. When adding the porcini, pour in the liquid, taking care to leave out any sediment that may have settled. Stir to combine. Add rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Pour into a two-quart baking dish and set aside.

To make topping, press warm potatoes through a ricer or food mill into a large mixing bowl. Add goat cheese and buttermilk and stir until fluffy. Add more buttermilk if consistency is too dry. Spoon onto mushroom mixture, leaving lots of hills and valleys for melted butter to run over. Drizzle with the truffle oil or melted butter and bake until potatoes are golden, around 30 - 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for about five minutes before serving.

Serves six to eight.