Lentil and Vegetable Cottage Bake

Ingredients

• 1.5 cup brown lentils, rinsed
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 piece brown onion, diced
• 2 piece carrot, diced
• 2 piece celery stalk, diced
• 200 gram mushrooms, chopped
• 3 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 750 millilitre vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1.2 kilogram potato, peeled and chopped
• 60 gram butter
• 1/2 cup milk

Instructions

1. 1Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook the onion, carrot, celery and mushrooms for 8 minutes.
2. 2Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute.
3. 3Add the lentils, stock and thyme, then simmer covered for 30 minutes until the lentils are soft and the mixture is thick.
4. 4Meanwhile, boil the potatoes for 15 minutes until tender, then drain.
5. 5Mash the potatoes with the butter and milk until smooth, then season.
6. 6Preheat the oven to 200°C and spoon the lentil mixture into two baking dishes.
7. 7Spread the mash over the top and rough it up with a fork.
8. 8Bake one dish for 25 minutes until golden. Wrap and freeze the second unbaked for up to 3 months; bake from thawed at 200°C for 35 minutes until piping hot in the middle.