Lentil and mushroom moussaka

[Serves 6]

½ cup brown lentils
400g brown mushrooms, quartered
2 onions
4 cloves garlic
2 carrots
2 tbsp olive oil
70g (1 small tin) tomato paste
1 cup red wine
2 cups vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme, leaves removed
30g basil leaves, chopped
1 tsp sugar
100g sundried tomatoes, chopped
sea salt flakes and freshly ground
black pepper
2 medium-sized aubergines
½ cup olive oil, seasoned with
salt and pepper

For the sauce

3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
3 cups full-cream milk
100g Parmesan, grated

1 Chop onions, garlic and carrots in a food processor.
2 Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a medium-sized heavy-based saucepan and sweat the onion, garlic and carrots. Add the mushrooms and tomato paste and cook gently for 10 minutes. Add the lentils, wine, stock, herbs, sugar and sundried tomatoes, then simmer for 1 hour. Season to taste.
3 In the meantime, slice the aubergines, brush with seasoned oil and bake at 200ºC for 10 minutes.
4 Turn the oven down to 180ºC. Make the white sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. Make sure you beat out any lumps and season the sauce well.
5 When the sauce is ready, stir through the grated Parmesan, holding a little back to sprinkle over the top. Assemble in a baking dish, layering the lentils, then the aubergine slices, then topping the whole dish with the white sauce and finally a sprinkling of cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until brown and bubbling.