Recipe - Lentil and Eggplant Ragu

Preparation time:10 minutes 

Cooking time: 6 hours 20 minutes 

Serves: 6 

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 brown onion, finally chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, sliced into 1 centimetre thick rounds
• 1 eggplant, diced into 1 centimetre cubes
• 1 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 750 ml vegetable stock
• 375g pack whole green lentils, rinsed
• 400 g can chopped tomatoes
• 6 basil leaves, torn, plus extra to serve
• 1 fresh bay leaves
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1tbsp brown sugar
• Sea salt flakes and fresh ground black pepper to season
• Cooked penne to serve
• Shaved parmesan to serve

Method:

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over a high heat.
2. Add onions, garlic, celery and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
3. Add eggplant and cook for a further 5 minutes or until eggplant has softened slightly.
4. Stir in wine and tomato paste, then bring to the boil cook for 5 minutes or until wine has reduced by half Transfer mixture to the bowl of a 5L slow cooker and place in appliance.
5. Stir in 2 cups of water, stock, lentils, tomatoes, herbs, half of the vinegar and half of the sugar.
6. Cover with a lid and cook on low setting for 6 hrs stir in remaining vinegar and remaining sugar.
7. Season. Serve lentil and eggplant with cooked penne.
8. Scatter over shaved parmesan and extra basil leaves