Vegetarian Mushroom & Lentil Hotpot

Time: 1 hour 10 minutes (Prep 10 mins | Cook 1 hr) Difficulty: Not too tricky Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 320g onions (approx. 2 large), chopped
• 320g large carrots (approx. 2 large), chopped
• 10g thyme (approx. 1½ a bunch)
• 320g chestnut mushrooms, roughly torn or sliced
• 1×295g tin of condensed mushroom soup
• 600ml semi-skimmed milk
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube or equivalent stock powder
• 250ml water or extra vegetable stock
• 1×400g can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup (approx. 100g) of red or green lentils, rinsed
• 1×570g jar of cannellini beans (do not drain the liquid)
• 320g frozen sweetcorn
• 2×400g bags of potato gnocchi
• Olive oil
• Salt and black pepper

Method

1. Prepare the Base: Put a large, shallow, non-stick casserole pan on medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil and once warm, crumble in the vegetable bouillon cube or stock powder. Stir briefly until it starts to dissolve, creating a savory base.
2. Sauté the Vegetables: Peel and chop the onions and carrots into 3cm chunks, adding them to the pan as you go. Strip in the thyme and tear in the mushrooms. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook for 20 minutes, stirring regularly, until the vegetables are caramelized and soft.
3. Simmer the Lentils: Stir in the condensed mushroom soup, milk, and the rinsed lentils. Add the 250ml of water or vegetable stock—this extra liquid is needed to cook the dried lentils. Cover the pan with the lid slightly ajar and simmer gently for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.
4. Finish the Hotpot: Preheat the oven to 220∘C/425∘F/gas 7. Stir the frozen sweetcorn, the jar of cannellini beans (with their juice), and the drained and rinsed chickpeas into the stew mixture.
5. Bake: Gently drop the gnocchi on top of the stew. Spritz the gnocchi with a little olive oil, and transfer the pan uncovered to the preheated oven. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the gnocchi is golden and the stew is bubbling hot. Serve immediately.