Lentil and Mushroom Salisbury 'Steak’

I love the combination of lentils and mushrooms. It made sense to put them together for this recipe. Familiar to many but obscure to some, a Salisbury steak is typically a ground beef burger patty served with gravy. Modern versions call for the addition of sauteed mushrooms, and the dish is generally paired with green beans or peas and mashed potato. I steamed some peas and made a quick sweet potato mash. http://npengage.com/nonprofit-fundraising/design-fundraising-appeal-that-raises-more-this-december/

I made sure the lentils and mushrooms were well-flavoured for the patty base. You could get pre-cooked vegetables and beans, which saves you time if you don’t meal prep, but it gives you more control. For a homemade mix, get dried lentils, soak them overnight, then cook in broth and store until it’s time to make the patties. As for the button mushrooms, you can roughly chop and saute in advance, then mix with the cooked lentils. I kept mine as larger chunks to give the patties textures.

For the mushrooms in the gravy, I used shiitake. They are juicy, packed with flavour and enhance whatever you add them to, serving as the perfect bite and umami. You get the creamy, ‘meaty’ taste while enjoying the lentil patties with even more mushroom.

Ingredients

Patties/’steak’:

1 1/2 cups cooked lentils

1/2 cup cooked button mushroom, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon Worcester sauce

1 large garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon Fenugreek powder

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon cumin

2 vegetable bouillon cubes, crushed

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup regular breadcrumbs

1 egg

1/2 yellow onion, grated

2 tablespoons tomato sauce/ketchup

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Mushroom gravy:

1/2 cup Shiitake mushrooms

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cracked pepper

1-2 cup(s) vegetable broth

Olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon mustard

2 teaspoons Worcester sauce

1/2 yellow onion. diced

1 teaspoon minced serrano pepper

1 large garlic clove, minced

Instructions

First, make your steaks! In a large bowl, add the onion, garlic, and breadcrumbs, mix with your hands and set aside for 5-10 minutes.

Add cumin, coriander, fenugreek powder, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, bouillon cubes, lentil and mushroom mix, mustard, tomato sauce, and egg. Give it another good mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed, then shape your patties to the desired size and thickness - don't make them too thick and make sure they are the same size and cook evenly. Chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Fry the lentil mushroom steaks on medium-high heat in some olive oil, 4-5 minutes each side or until the surface begins to brown and get crispy. Remove from the nonstick pan set aside.

Time for the gravy. Using the same large pan or a large pot, saute the onion, chilli pepper, and garlic with olive oil for about 3 minutes, until fragrant and softened. Add the butter followed by the shiitake mushrooms. Sweat out for another 6-8 minutes. Add the Worchester sauce, mustard, and broth, and stir.

Gradually add the flour in parts, mixing each time to thicken the gravy. Add the patties back and nestle in the gravy, scoping over each patty.

Serve hot with sweet mashed potatoes, butter and steamed peas.