Walnut Adjika Mushroom & Pearl Barley Shepherd’s Pie

Lana Suhova
Sep 22
2 min read

September woods mean mushrooms - chanterelles if you’re lucky, but chestnut mushrooms from the market bring plenty of earthy umami too. Mushrooms are rich in B-vitamins and natural glutamates; pearl barley adds comforting chew and fibre; and a buttery mash lid makes everything feel like a warm jumper.

Walnut Adjika is the secret here. By blending adjika’s chilli-garlic backbone with walnuts, you get a savoury, nutty paste that amplifies mushroom depth without needing meat. Happy Adjika’s walnut adjika is naturally seasoned so the filling rounds itself out with very little extra. The result is a shepherd’s-pie-style bake that’s rich, satisfying and cheap to make, yet tastes restaurant-worthy.

Ingredients (serves 6)

For the filling

1 tbsp olive oil + 25g butter
1 large onion, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
2 sticks celery, finely diced
500g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped
2 heaped tbsp Walnut Adjika
150g pearl barley, rinsed
200ml red wine (optional, or use extra stock)
600ml hot vegetable stock
1 tbsp tomato purée (optional, for colour)
1 bay leaf, 2 thyme sprigs
Handful parsley, chopped

For the mash topping

1kg floury potatoes (e.g. Maris Piper), peeled and chopped
50g butter (or olive oil for dairy-free)
100ml milk (or oat milk)
1 egg yolk (optional, for colour and set)

Method

Start the base. Heat oil and butter in a large sauté pan. Add onion, carrot and celery with a splash of water; cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes until soft and sweet.
Mushrooms & aroma. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook on medium-high heat until they release moisture and start to take on colour - about 8 minutes.
Season with adjika. Stir in walnut adjika and tomato purée if using. Let it sizzle for 1 minute to bloom the spices.
Barley & braise. Add pearl barley and stir. Pour in red wine to deglaze, reduce by half, then add stock, bay and thyme. Simmer, partially covered, for 30–35 minutes until barley is tender and the mixture is glossy and saucy. Fish out the herbs, stir in parsley. Taste - thanks to adjika you likely won’t need extra salt.
Mash. Boil potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain well, steam off moisture, then mash with butter and milk. Beat in egg yolk if using for a golden, set top.
Assemble & bake. Heat oven to 200°C (fan 180°C). Spoon the mushroom-barley filling into a baking dish. Top with mash, roughing the surface with a fork for crispy peaks. Bake 20–25 minutes until bubbling and golden.

Why walnut adjika works

Walnuts love mushrooms; they echo each other’s earthy notes. The adjika adds warmth and rounded heat, so the filling tastes slow-cooked even on a weeknight.