I know this looks like a rather old fashioned looking dish, but please don’t knock it. If you had just come out of the snowy cold, I know you’d be happily asking for a bowl. Its what I’d describe as a warm hug in a bowl.
The cauliflower, carrots and baby onions had bite, the mushrooms texture and the tomato and lentils thickened the sauce. For me the real star of the dish was the savory scones. So soft, light and delicate, that they just melted. I mean really melted in your mouth like ‘butter’. I know I will be making this ‘Red Lentil Cauliflower Cobber’ again. Its an excellent dish to make for friends expecting comfort food, not ‘posh nosh’.
Please don’t be daunted by the long list of ingredients. Once you’ve peeled, chopped and put the ingredients into the pot, its all really straight forward. This dish can easily be veganized, simply by replacing these cheesy scones with a vegan alternative. UPDATED December 2011: Vintage Mum made version of this Red Lentil Cobber, please check it out here.
I am sending this ‘Red Lentil Cauliflower Cobbler’ to My Legume Love Affair. MLLA as it is fondly known was founded by Susan of the Well Seasoned Cook. This month MLLA #33 is being hosted by Dee and K of Ammalu’s Kitchen.
Cauliflower CobblerServes 4 – 6
Ingredients1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
8 small onions, halved
1 medium cauliflower, broken into florets
2 – 4 carrots, sliced
200g mushrooms, sliced
400g can tomatoes, chopped
60g- 80g red lentils
2 tablespoons cornflour
3 – 4 tablespoons water
300ml vegetable stock
Optional: 2 teaspoon Tabasco or other hot sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Ingredients for the Cobbler Topping225g self raising flour
60g butter
125g mature Cheddar cheese, grated
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 egg, beaten
150ml milk
Salt
Method for the filling
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Fry the garlic and onions for a few minutes, then add the celery, carrots, cauliflower, mushrooms and stir fry for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and lentils. Mix in the cornflour and water and add to the pan with the stock, hot sauce and oregano. Bring to the boil. Transfer to an ovenproof dish, cover and bake in a preheated oven Gas Mark 4 for 20 minutes.
To make the cobbler topping
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Rub in the butter, then stir in most of the cheese and the chopped herbs. Beat together the egg and milk and add enough to the dry ingredients to make a soft dough. Knead lightly, roll out to 1 cm thick and cut into 2 inch rounds.
Remove the dish from the oven and increase the temperature to Gas mark 6.
Arrange the rounds around the edge of the dish, brush with the remaining egg and milk and sprinkle with the reserved cheese.
Cook for a further 10 – 12 minutes, until the topping is risen and golden. Serve immediately.
