Lentil & Bean Loaf

Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, cut into chunks

10cm piece of celery, chopped

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

150g day-old sourdough bread, roughly torn

½ cup walnuts

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 x (400g) can chickpeas (reserving the liquid)

1 x (400g) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 x (400g) can lentils, drained and rinsed

(1 cup) cooked quinoa

Flat-leaf parsley and rocket, to serve

Smoky Barbeque Sauce

125g (½ cup) tomato ketchup

3 tbs apple cider vinegar

2 tbs Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp Chinese five-spice

1 garlic clove, finely grated

To serve, tomato relish

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 1.5-litre capacity loaf tin with baking paper, allowing the excess paper to overhang the sides (this makes removing the loaf much easier once it is cooked).

Combine all the barbecue sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Stand until required.

Place the onion, carrot and celery in a food processor and whiz until finely chopped. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add the vegetable mixture and sauté for 5 minutes, or until softened.

Add the bread and walnuts to the uncleaned food processor and process until crumbs form. Add to the vegetable mixture along with the dried oregano and smoked paprika. Sauté for a further 2 minutes, or until aromatic. Remove from the heat.

Place the chickpeas and chickpea liquid from the can into the uncleaned food processor and process until smooth. Add to the vegetable crumb mixture. Add the kidney beans, lentils and quinoa to the food processor and pulse to roughly chop. Add to the vegetable crumb mixture along with 2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce. Stir to combine well.

Transfer the lentil and bean mixture to the prepared tin and press down evenly. Brush remaining barbecue sauce and bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from the oven and rest for 30 minutes.

Thickly slice the lentil and bean loaf and serve with the parsley scattered over the top and some rocket leaves and tomato relish on the side.