Roasted lentil, walnut and cranberry loaf with vegetarian mushroom gravy
Serves 8
This rich, hearty loaf will be a hit with both vegetarians and omnivores. The vegetarian mushroom gravy is a wonderful match. This pairing is the perfect dish for your Xmas table.
2 onions – finely diced
4 large garlic cloves – finely diced
1 large carrot – grated and squeezed tightly of juice
200g firm tofu – grated
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 cup vegetable stock
½ cup Alison’s Pantry red lentils
½ cup Alison’s Pantry brown lentils
¾ cup Alison’s Pantry American walnuts – roughly chopped
½ cup Alison’s Pantry whole cranberries
2 free range eggs
¾ cup flour (use All Purpose GF flour if necessary)
Olive oil for sauteing
Heat a generous glug of olive oil in a large saute pan over a medium heat. Cook the onions, moving frequently for 10 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and carrot and cook for a further 3-4 minutes. Add the tofu, dried herbs, spices and soy sauce and cook for a few more minutes.
Add the tomatoes, stock, lentils and walnuts. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes with a lid slightly ajar. The pan should be mostly dry at the end of this time. Stir through the cranberries. Leave to cool for about 45 minutes. Add the eggs and flour and stir well.
Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.
Spoon into a loaf tin lined with baking paper. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and cook uncovered for a further 40-45 minutes until browned and firm.
Mushroom and rosemary gravy
⅓ cup olive oil
½ brown onion – finely chopped
3 garlic cloves – finely chopped
400g Portobello or swiss brown mushrooms – sliced thinly
1 rounded teaspoon fresh rosemary – finely chopped
¼ cup flour (use all purpose GF flour if needed)
3 cups vegetable stock
1 cup water
2 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce
Cracked black pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil over a medium heat in a pot that will be large enough to hold all the stock. Add the onions and cook for around 10 minutes until translucent and tender. Add the garlic and cook for a further 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and turn the heat up slightly. Cook for another 8-10 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and glossy.
Sprinkle the flour over the top and cook for 2 minutes. Add a little more oil if the pan is dry.
Add the stock and tamari. Whisk well to avoid lumps as the gravy comes to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes until thick. Add the tamari and black pepper to taste.
At this stage you can use a stick blender to blitz until silky smooth. Serve immediately or can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat gently in a pot on the stove.