Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 500 g mixed mushrooms (chestnut, portobello, shiitake), thickly sliced or halved
- 200 g baby shallots or pearl onions, peeled
- 2 carrots, cut into chunks
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 150 g Puy lentils, rinsed
- 850 ml vegetable stock or mushroom broth
- 1 tbsp tamari
- 4 sprigs of thyme and 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp arrowroot or cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water (optional, to thicken)
- Chopped parsley, to serve
Method
- Brown the mushrooms: heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large casserole and fry the mushrooms in batches over a high heat until deep golden. Lift out.
- Soften: add the remaining oil, the shallots and carrots and cook for 8 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the garlic and tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes, then add the balsamic vinegar and stir to lift any tasty brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Simmer: add the lentils, stock, tamari, thyme, bay and mushrooms. Cover and simmer gently for 35–40 minutes, until the lentils are tender and the sauce is rich. Stir in the arrowroot mixture for a thicker sauce, and simmer for 2 minutes more.
- Serve: season, scatter with parsley and serve with mashed potato, celeriac mash or greens.
Why it's good for you: Puy lentils hold their shape beautifully and are rich in protein, iron and folate. Mushrooms bring a deep, savoury "meaty" flavour along with B vitamins, selenium and beta-glucans, which support the immune system.
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