I made this lentil loaf during the week and, mid forkful, Hot hubby turned to me and asked, with wide eyes, “have you blogged this recipe?” Opps.  This has been a favourite in our home, as well as the family I used to nanny and cook for, for well over a decade. I can’t believe I haven’t shared it!

If, like me, you love vegetarian food, or, hell, you are a vegetarian, give this a bash. It’s delicious.  Even my fussy seven year old eats this (covered in tomato sauce, but my parenting mantra is “pick a hill to die on”. And, covering lentil loaf in T-Sauce, I have decided, is not “that hill”).

Ultimate Lentil Loaf Recipe

1 c dried red lentils
2 cups stock (vegetable if you are a vego, if not, chicken rocks!)
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp butter
2 tsp dried wholemeal breadcrumbs
2 c grated cheese (any kind, I usually use tasty or colby)
1 leek (white bit) or 1 large stick of celery, chopped finely
8 medium sized button mushrooms
2 tlb sesame seeds
1 ½ c fresh breadcrumbs
2 tlb chopped herbs (any kind you like)
1 tlb lemon juice
2 eggs, lightly beaten
salt and pepper

• Place lentils, stock and bay leaf in a saucepan. Bring to boil and simmer on lowest heat possible for 10-15 minutes until liquid has absorbed and the lentils are soft (keep checking on them, they stick, might need to add more water halfway through). When softened, discard the bay leaf.
• Line the base of a loaf tin (you know, the kind you’d make a gingerbread loaf in) with baking paper. Grease the rest of the tin with butter and sprinkle the sides and the baking paper with the DRIED breadcrumbs.
• Add to the lentil mixture: Cheese, leek, mushrooms, fresh breadcrumbs, sesame seeds and chopped herbs. Season well. Bind the mixture with the eggs and lemon juice.
• Spoon the mixture into the into loaf tin and smooth top the top down with a knife/back of a spoon.
• Bake for an hour in a preheated oven (190 degrees, normal bake) until golden.
• When cooked, loosen the loaf with a palette knife and turn out onto a chopping board/serving plate.
• Serve sliced with your favourite chutney or relish (I always have mine with tomato chilli jam) and a side salad, or a baked potato and some roast potatoes, veges – whatever works! I especially love this with a big pile of roast vege salad. Oh yes, also spectacular with roasted cabbage. OK, I’ll stop now: Can you tell I like this?!