Lentil and Mushroom Moussaka

Ingredients

• 3 medium auberginessliced 1cm thick
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tsp fine sea salt
• 80 g vegetarian greek-style hard cheesefinely grated
• 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
• 750 ml whole milk
• 55 g cornflour
• 60 g unsalted butter
• 500 g floury maris piper potatoessliced 5mm thick
• 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
• 800 g tinned green lentilsdrained
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 cloves garlic clovescrushed
• 1 medium carrotfinely diced
• 2 medium onionfinely chopped
• 15 g dried porcini mushroomssoaked in 200ml boiling water
• 400 g chestnut mushroomsfinely chopped
• 6 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 200C fan. Brush the aubergine slices with 4 tbsp oil, season and roast on two trays for 25 minutes, turning once. Boil the potato slices for 6 minutes, drain and steam dry.

2. 2

   Fry the chopped chestnut mushrooms in the remaining oil in a large pan over a high heat for 10 minutes. They will release water, then reabsorb it and start to brown - wait for the browning.

   Do not season the mushrooms until they have browned; salt draws water out and stalls the process.

3. 3

   Add the onion and carrot and cook for 10 minutes, then the garlic, cinnamon and oregano for a minute, then the tomato puree until it darkens.

4. 4

   Lift the soaked porcini out of their liquid, chop and add to the pan. Pour in the soaking liquid, stopping before the gritty last spoonful. Add the lentils, tomatoes, 1.5 tsp salt and half the pepper.

5. 5

   Simmer for 25 minutes until thick and glossy, mashing a few lentils against the pan to bind it.

6. 6

   Make the bechamel: melt the butter, whisk the cornflour smooth into 150ml of the milk, heat the rest of the milk with the butter until steaming, then whisk in the slurry and cook for 3-4 minutes until thick. Season with nutmeg, the remaining salt and pepper and half the cheese.