Some of you have have got to listen to Josiah Meldrum of Hodmedod’s talk in Sheffield recently to those involved with the Sheffield Wheat Experiment. Our own Ella got to chat to him and he recalled that we were one of his first customers and remembered packing our first order! We were thrilled then to stock their wares and even happier now to see how far they’ve come. So this week I thought we’d share Josiah’s Lentil Ragu recipe (image taken from Hodmedod’s Instagram). It’s the perfect base for a Bolognese type sauce, a Lasagne or Shepherds Pie! If you don’t have their Olive Green lentils then any lentil which retains its structure (i.e not red!) will work.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 450g Olive Green Lentils
- 1 large Red Onion
- 1 stick Celery
- 1 Red Pepper
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 2 cans Tomatoes (or a large jar of Passata)
- 1 tbsp Tomatoe Puree (or finely chopped Sundried Tomatoes)
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 sprig Rosemary
- 1 bunch Fresh Parsley
- 1 generous pinch dried Oregano
- Vegetable Stock to cover
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Method
- Rinse and cover the lentils with boiling water; leave to stand for 30 minutes or more.
- Finely chop the onion and garlic, sauté in a deep heavy pan for 5 minutes. Add chopped celery and pepper, sauté for another 5 minutes.
- Drain and add the lentils, bay leaves and rosemary. Cover with stock and simmer until the stock has been absorbed and the lentils are softening.
- Add the canned tomatoes and puree, with half a can of water (rinse the cans with it). Reduce to desired consistency, season, stir through chopped parsley.
- Serve or use as the basis for shepherd’s pie, lasagne or similar.