Cauliflower & Lentil Bake
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The origins of this recipe are lost in the mists of time, in fact we
would not be surprised to find a tray of it in the tomb of the next
Pharaoh to be discovered. Like many of the previous dishes it has
gone through many stages of development. The original was made without
a white sauce, these days it never is. That's progress for you,
mind you, as old hands will know, eventually the wheel will turn
full circle and a new generation of cooks will decide it is far
superior if the sauce is missed out! Either way it is a fine example
of the traditional Eighth Day wholefood style of cookery and although
simple is simply delicious. It can be made vegan or dairy based,
both versions are given, just miss out the cheese and milk.
Ingredients - Serves 4 to 6
1lb Red Lentils
2 Onions
Dash of Shoyu
2 Small or 1 Large Cauliflower
1 Pint Milk - Cow or Soya
1oz Butter or Margarine
1oz Wholemeal Flour
1 Teaspoon Wholegrain Mustard
Pinch of Nutmeg
Pinch of Black Pepper
Pinch of Salt
½lb Bread crumbs
Sunflower Oil
½lb Cheese - grated, or 1 Block Smoked Tofu - chopped small
Method
- Wash and rinse the lentils well place in a good sized, preferably
heavy bottomed pan, cover with cold water and add a good dash
of shoyu (up to a dessert spoon full). Put on a medium heat until
boiling, stirring occasionally to make sure they do not stick.
Once boiling turn down the heat and cover. Leave to simmer until
cooked. Check from time to time to make sure they do not stick
and burn, adding a little water if they dry out too much. Do not
add too much water, try not to cook them into a complete mush!
- Peel and thinly slice the onions and fry until soft in a little
sunflower oil with a pinch of black pepper. Once soft keep to
one side.
- Remove any damaged leaves from the cauliflower and discard ,
thinly shred the healthy leaves. Cut the cauliflower into small
florets and wash both leaves and florets.
- Half fill a medium sized pan with water and bring to the boil.
When boiling add the cauliflower and cook for five minutes. Drain
and keep to one side.
- To make the white sauce first heat the milk to just below boiling
point.
- In a small but heavy pan melt the butter or margarine and, once
melted, add the flour and cook for a few minutes, stirring continuously.
- Slowly add the hot milk, stirring all the while to prevent lumps
forming. The sauce will thicken almost instantly. Add the mustard
and nutmeg to the flour mix and bring back to the boil, stirring
all the time. If despite your attention lumps do form, give the
sauce a good beating with a whisk or blend it. Some cooks prefer
to do the whole operation with a whisk in the first place. In
any event once the sauce has come to the boil remove from the
heat and season to taste.
- Mix the bread crumbs and cheese or tofu in a suitable bowl and
then add a little sunflower oil until the mixture is evenly oiled,
make sure not to overdo the oil, it just needs to be moist.
- Add the onions to the cooked lentils mix well and put the mixture
in an even layer in the bottom of an ovenproof dish.
- Place the cooked cauliflower in a layer on top of the lentils.
- Pour the sauce over the cauliflower and sprinkle the bread crumb
mixture over the top.
- Bake in a moderate oven for 30 minutes at: gas mark 5, 190°C,
375°F.
To make the original version of this recipe make everything as
above except the white sauce. Add the mustard to the bread crumb
mix, before adding the oil, and layer the dish in the same way finishing
with the bread crumb and cheese. This makes for a slightly drier
meal but just as tasty and even easier to prepare. You pays your
money and you makes your choice. The important thing is the taste
of lentils, shoyu and cauliflower, one of the great culinary discoveries
of all time.
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