This is a second attempt at a lentil-loaf endeavor. The first one was a fairly limited attempt using leftover lentils & it was kind of an afterthought. This one went okay. Recipe from my brain.
Preheat oven to 375.
1 3/4 c. green lentils
5 ribs celery, chopped fine
1 quite large onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, minced
sage (dried)
thyme (dried)
salt
Sort lentils, wash. Saute celery, onion, and garlic w/ sage & thyme. Add lentils. Add salt. Pressure-cook for 15 minutes.
In the meantime:
4 pieces whole wheat bread
Toast bread. Run through food processor to crumb finely. Season with salt and pepper.
When the lentils are cooked, drain them thoroughly in a colander. Thoroughly, I said. Let them sit for ten minutes at least. Put them in a bowl. Dose them with:
Ketchup
Veggie Worcestershire
and then season with salt and pepper to taste. Remember that the condiments are salty.
GENTLY fold in the breadcrumbs (stirring will make bread mush).
Spray or rub a loaf pan with oil. (Spray from a pump bottle, not PAM.) Line with parchment paper strips, leaving small handles to remove loaf by. Spray paper. Turn lentil mixture into pan; pat down. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven & let set a few minutes on a cooling rack. Remove loaf by paper straps and slice gently. Top (sparingly) with a drizzle of a ketchup-worcestershire mixture.
For next time:
-Needs more onion to taste oniony, believe it or not. Indian fried onions (the dried kind you can buy in bags) crushed fine, might be a good addition, as they’d carry the authentic “onion soup pack mix” flavor.
-Whole-wheat bread crumbs have too much flavor of their own to be a good binder in this instance. Next time try short-grain rice.
-Mushrooms (as in the original lentil loaf attempt) would be a good addition. 8 oz., chopped fine, prepared as for duxelles.
-Chopped fresh parsley would be a good addition as well.
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