Glasrai Shepherds Pie

When I was growing up we used to have shepherd's pie, but ours had ground beef and was topped with potatoes.  I have revised it using tempeh in place of the meat.  The tempeh is seasoned and mixed with onion and portabella mushrooms to give the taste and mouthfeel resembling the meat for shepherd's pie. 
For the top I used cauliflower instead of potato, but you could use potato, turnip, even sweet potato.
I've crushed a couple crackers on top (with no hydrogenated oils please-- Whole Foods makes a good one).  If you have children who enjoy Goldfish crackers put those on for them!
What's glasrai? Vegetable in old Gaelic

I divided this recipe into 2 ramekins, but double it and put in an 8 x 8 and serve 4-6

Tempeh:
1/2 block tempeh (Soyboy brand is more tender than Lightlife)
1 tsp fennel seed
2 tsp granulated garlic
1/4 tsp dried sage
1 tsp crushed rosemary
salt and pepper to taste (smoked salt if you have it)
1/2 cup onion, diced
4 baby portabella mushrooms, diced
1/2 TB olive oil
1/4 cup beer (i used a porter)

Slice the tempeh on a bias and then cut those pieces to half their depth (in other words thin!) 
Steam briefly, about 5 minutes in a steam basket. (optional)
Mix with all other ingredients and bake on bottom of 450 oven, covered, for 15 minutes.  Uncover and stir occasionally and bake another 15-20 minutes.  It will start to brown.

Meanwhile prepare cauliflower:
5-6 cups cauliflower, chopped
3/4 cup onion, chopped
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup water or vegetable broth
1/2 TBS olive oil
Using a medium saucepan, add olive oil, onion and garlic and cook 4 minutes.  Add cauliflower and season with salt.  Add liquid and place lid on pan.  Cook until cauliflower is soft enough to puree, if liquid remains either remove lid and cook off liquid or drain.  Using an immersion blender puree until smooth.  If consistency is too thin, place over low heat and stir until liquid evaporates.

Assemble:
Butter or oil ramekin lightly.  Place 1/2 of tempeh in bottom of each, place 1/2 of cauliflower on top of that.  Crumble crackers on top, and drizzle a bit of olive oil on top.  repeat with second ramekin.
Serving: Mound roasted onions on top and drizzle with truffle oil.
Suggestion: serve with salad or roasted carrots and kale.