FAF gone crazy: Leeks are not Lentils!

I've already stated that I'm going crazy, and this is the true story that proves that actually I have completely gone crazy.

When I first read the list of ingredients for this month In the Bag: Pumpkin, Mushrooms and Leeks, it seemed to me it will not be easy to combine them. I spent few days thinking what could I do since I really wonted to take a part in this blogevent.

After some serious thinking I realize that I've came up with several solutions and I can't decide which one to choose. At the end I reduced my dilemma to two choices:
Pumpkin gnocchi in mushrooms and leek sauce
or
Leek patties in Pumpkin and Mushrooms sauce

I decided for the later thanks for my broken English. I mistakenly took leeks for lentils. And I realized my mistake just today, three days after I have prepared the meal and ate it!

Well, history is full of fortunate mistakes and I'm so happy for this one because thanks to it I prepared delicious meal that I'll for sure prepare very often in the future.

Luckily I did use leeks too and I could use this recipe for "In the Bag" event!

So, what I really did prepare was Lentil patties in Pumpkin and Mushrooms sauce.

And I choose lentil patties solely because I remembered one recipe I read long ago that sounded very interesting but I've never try it. It was combination of lentil and walnuts and I remembered author claimed that he succeeded to convince his friends that it was meat patties. And since S. isn't trilled to have meatless lunch this seamed as very good compromise.

Since I couldn't remembered exactly were did I find this recipe I had to improvise. As a starting point I took recipe from Aine McAteer's cookbook Recipes to Nurture for Lentil loaf. Interestingly, Aine also noted next to this recipe that she served it to some young surfers and they were also convinced that it was meat.

In her recipe Aine didn't use walnuts, but that didn't stop me since, as we have already affirm, I'm crazy.

At the end it all turned just fine and Lentil patties were such a success with S. although he didn't confused it for meat (or leeks?!). The walnuts are great combination with lentil giving it smooth, discrete taste while melting in your mouths. Infect they go so well together that I'm planing to pair them in some sweet combination like Lentil and walnuts cookies!

Lentil patties in Pumpkin and Mushrooms sauce

Lentil patties (it makes +/- 30 patties)
If you prefer visual recipe you can read step by step photo recipe.
2 cups of lentil puree
1 cup of chopped walnuts
1 cup of breadcrumbs
1 cup of finely sliced onion
1-2 spoons of tomato puree
tomato juice
water
salt

Mix all ingredients. Add tomato juice to help you form the patties. Preheat your oven to 180 C. Put patties on oven pan and bake it in oven for 20 - 25 minutes.


Pumpkin and Shitake sauce
30 dag of pumpkin
4 pieces of Shitake mushrooms
5 dag of butter
1 glass of white wine
1 leek (yeaaa!!!!)
rosemary
salt, paper
1 cup of stock

Peel, de-seed and cut pumpkin into small cubes.
Slice leek into thin slices and fry them in deep pen with butter. Add pumpkin cubes, splash with with wine and cook until wine evaporates then add 1 cup of stock.
Cook until pumpkin turns soft and fluids evaporate. It will take around 30 minutes.
Take half amount of pumpkin from the pan and mince it in food processor. Meanwhile, clean Shitake and sliced them into thin slices.
Put the minced pumpkin back in pan and add sliced mushrooms. Stir lightly for additional 10 minutes. At the very end add rosemary, salt and paper.