Ingredients:
– 150 g / ¾ cup French green lentils
– 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
– 2 banana shallots, finely diced
– 4 large garlic cloves, finely diced
– Leaves picked from 8 sprigs of thyme
– 250 g / 9 oz chestnut / cremini mushrooms
– 125 g / 4½ oz fresh shiitake mushrooms
– 4 medium starchy potatoes (e.g., Maris Piper)
– 1 large carrot, chopped large
– 30 ml / 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
– ¼ tsp black pepper
– 1 tsp smoked (sweet) paprika
– ½ vegan mushroom (or vegetable) stock cube
– 7 ml / 1½ tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
– 15 ml / 3 tsp balsamic vinegar
– 120 ml / ½ cup vegan white wine (optional)
– 2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp water
– Salt
Instructions:
1. Rinse the lentils thoroughly and partially cook them in simmering water for about 30 minutes. For easier digestion, consider adding a piece of kombu to the cooking water. Drain and set aside.
2. In a skillet or frying pan (preferably oven-proof), heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté the diced shallots until nearly translucent, then add the chopped garlic and most of the thyme leaves. Continue cooking until the shallots are translucent and the garlic has softened.
3. While the shallots cook, chop the mushrooms into medium-sized chunks. Slice the potatoes into 2-3 mm slices, parboil for 4 minutes, drain, and let them cool.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 355°F.
5. Add the mushrooms to the skillet and sauté until lightly caramelized. Include the chopped carrot, cooked lentils, soy sauce, black pepper, smoked paprika, dissolved mushroom stock cube in 240 ml / 1 cup water, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, and wine (if using). Stir thoroughly, taste, and adjust seasoning if needed. Incorporate the cornflour slurry.
6. Arrange the cooled potato slices atop the lentil-mushroom mixture, overlapping them. Cover the dish with a fitting lid or kitchen foil, bake for 20 minutes.
7. Increase the oven temperature to 220°C / 425°F. Brush the potato tops with the remaining olive oil, sprinkle with thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. Return the uncovered dish to the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes, until the potatoes are nicely browned.