Vegetarian Non Meat Loaf

This is a Delia Smith recipe for a vegetarian meatloaf or a 'non meat' loaf as she calls it.

If I don't have the dried lentils I use tinned ones, but omit the 25 minutes of simmering and you won't need the stock.

Vegetarian Non Meat Loaf

425 ml vegetable stock

50 gm dried split peas 

50 gm du Puy lentils 

50 gm brown lentils 

40 gm butter or a couple of tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 large red capsicum diced 

1 small leek, diced 

1 medium carrot, diced 

1-2 celery stalks, diced 

1 garlic clove, crushed 

1/4 tspn ground mace 

1/4 tspn cayenne 

1 large egg, beaten 

2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley 

freshly ground salt & pepper 

Bring stock to the boil in a large pot and add split peas and Puy lentils. Stir, cover and simmer for 5 mins. Then add brown lentils, stir, cover again and simmer for 25 mins until tender (keep an eye on it though as you may need to top up the stock with a drop of water as it cooks).

While lentils are cooking, melt butter in a large non-stick pan and gently saute capsicum, leek, celery and garlic for about 10 mins until softish. Then add mace and cayenne and cook for a few minutes to toast, continually stirring. 

When ready, add the vegetable mixture to lentils, together with egg and mix. 

Turn heat off, add parsley and seasonings and mix well. 

Preheat oven to 190°-200°C. 

Lightly grease a loaf tin and line the base with a piece of baking paper. 

Spoon in the mixture, press down firmly and tightly cover with foil. 

Place the tin in the oven and cook in oven for 40 mins. 

Once cooked remove from oven, rest for 15 mins and un mould using a sharp knife around the edges. 

Cut into slices and serve on a bed of rocket with a dollop of chutney on top or with a big heap of mashed potato and some gravy.