Lentil spread

Ingredients for 3 servings:

• 1 m.-sized onion(s)
• 1 spring onion(s)
• 1 garlic clove(s)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 180 g tomato(s), dried in oil, drained weight
• 120 g lentils, e.g. mountain lentils and beluga lentils 1:1
• ½ pointed pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable paste, homemade (basic stock) or vegetable broth
• 1 lime(s), juice
• 2 tsp agave syrup
• 400 ml water
• e.g. salt and pepper
• possibly oil

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Total time approx. 45 minutes

vegetarian lentil spread with dried tomatoes and peppers

Finely chop the vegetables. Gently fry the onions, spring onions, garlic, tomato paste, and bell peppers in the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes. Meanwhile, pre-cook the lentils in a pot with three times the amount of water. Use about two-thirds the time suggested on the package instructions, then drain the lentils in a sieve and rinse with water if necessary. Finely chop the sun-dried tomatoes and add them to the pot along with the lentils and about 80-100 ml of water. Simmer everything together for 10-15 minutes until the desired consistency and firmness is reached. Add the lime juice and the vegetable paste (base) and season with salt and pepper. We like the spread to be undercooked and to retain its chunky texture. If you prefer, you can simmer it a little longer and then puree it at the end. For variation, you can vary the amount of bell peppers and tomatoes and/or refine the recipe with pine nuts or sunflower seeds, for example. The mixture can be easily poured into jars while still hot and stored. If you like, you can add a layer of oil on top or simply freeze it.