100% free from animal product, and 100% delicious! This ragu is a great base to use for multiple dishes; lasagne, bolognese or moussaka!
Ingredients
- 30g dried porcini mushrooms
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 3 sprigs of thyme
- 1 tsp tomato puree
- 100ml vegan red wine
- 250g dried green lentils
- 800g canned plum tomatoes
- 250g chestnut mushroom, sliced
- 250g portobello mushrooms, sliced
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp Marmite
Method
- Pop the porcini mushrooms in a bowl, then pour in 800ml of boiling water. Set aside, and leave to soak for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, pour half of the oil into a saucepan and gently cook the onion, carrot and celery along with a pinch of salt until soft. Remove the porcini mushrooms from the bowl, reserving the liquid, and roughly chop.
- Throw in the garlic and the thyme, and cook for 1 minute before stirring in the tomato puree and cooking for a further minute. Pour in the wine and simmer gently until reduced, then add the lentils, reserved poricini liquid and tomatoes. Bring to the boil, allow to reduce then simmer with a lid on.
- Whilst your lentil mixture is simmering away, grab a large frying pan and heat the remaining oil. Tip in all of the mushroom and fry until golden, then pour in the soy sauce and stir. Add this to the lentil mixture.
- Stir in the marmite and cook over a gentle heat for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the thyme, season and serve!
Lead image: Stanislov Sablin via Getty images.