Lentil Cottage Pie

Lentils are the prisoner of the kitchen cupboard ('Yes, it's just the sort of vegetablist comment you'd expect from an oppressive dictator' - Neil, The Young Ones), ignored by carnivores they languish hoping either a hippy or a fad like vaganuary will cause notice of their existence. They make really great cottage pie or bolognese tho. Asian shops sell brown and green lentils, these are what you want, and I use them alot and they have a meaty flavour.

Method, just rinse and then simmer the lentils for about twenty minutes in lots of water with a clove of garlic and a bay leaf, until the lentils soften a little, but still retain structure.

Then just treat the lentils as if they are mince by adding them to a pan which has onions fried till clear, garlic, chopped carrot or parsnip, then add veg stock, a dash of red wine vinegar and more herbs like bay and thyme. Chuck in some tomatoes and some puree. Then simmer for a bit and add mashed spuds, a little cheese grated on top. And pop in the oven at 180 for about, well, it's ready when someone says, 'er that smells great'.

Feed to carnivores, and say, 'Vegetable Rights and Peace' as you put it on the table.