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–+ servings

Lentil Bolignaise(ish) Sauce

Penny Garrick
The dish is made from a base starter dish that can be the main base for a wide range of dishes. See notes below for a link through to the shephards pie using the same base.
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Course Main Course
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

The Base

  • ½ - 1 cup stock or water
  • 4 lrge brown onions finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 2 lengths fresh turmeric finely chopped, or 3 tsp dried turmeric
  • 3 carrots finely chopped
  • 3 stalks celery finely chopped
  • ground pepper and kelp powder to taste

For the bolognese

  • 3 cups mushrooms chopped
  • 3 tins tomatoes chopped
  • 150 grams tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
  • 3 tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp miso paste
  • 1 cup red or white wine or ½ cup sherry or brandy (optional)
  • 750 grams Brown or Green Lentils well rinsed and drained (if the cooking method is in a pot, soak for a few hours)
  • About 3 cups stock or water to cover
  • Whole large bunch chopped fresh parsley
  • Chopped walnuts optional
  • nutritional yeast

Instructions
 

  • First chop or process the garlic and turmeric very finely then, if using food processor, add 1 onion cut into quarters and process till just finely chopped. Otherwise, finely chop all the onions.
  • Add the ½ – 1 cup water or stock to a large stock pot and heat or set your pressure cooker to sauté with the water or stock. Scrape the first batch of onions with the garlic and turmeric into the heated pot, stir frequently, process the rest of the onions and add them.
  • Cook until the onion is well softened. Turn off the sauté setting. If using a pressure cooker, it is best not to use on sauté mode for an extended period. If using a pot, leave on heat but watch that the onion isn’t catching.
  • Add more stock or water if it is. Add chopped carrots and celery, use processor to chop these if you have one. Season with ground pepper and kelp powder.
  • To your onion, carrot and celery mix, add chopped mushrooms, tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, mustard, Worcestershire Sauce, miso and if you like, the alcohol. (The alcohol will cook out leaving the flavour).
  • Mix thoroughly. If the volume of your mixture is too large to add the lentils to your pressure cooker leaving room for expansion, cook the lentils in a pot separately till done.
  • Add more stock or water and pressure cook the vegetable mixture and when pressure is released, drain the cooked lentils and mix with the vegetables thoroughly. If using a pot, add the stock or water and the soaked drained lentils. Cover and bring to a simmer, cook gently stirring occasionally for 30 – 40 minutes until the lentils have softened. Stir in chopped parsley.
  • Serve with, brown rice or whole grain spaghetti pasta, etc as suggested above. Sprinkle with walnuts and/or nutritional yeast. Serve with salad or and green vegetables. This makes a big quantity so I would freeze half.
Keyword bolonaise, Lentils, plantbased, vegan, wfpb
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