Smoked Aubergine & Walnut Ragu

Happy veganuary! This is my go-to ragu in colder months! I love adding walnuts to meal for their amazing nutrients but they also create really great textures for vegan minces. And smoked aubergines are just something im obsessed with - it goes so well in pasta dishes!

Method

To smoke the aubergine, prick the aubergines a couple of times with a knife or fork. Blacken the aubergines over a barbeque, or gas hob, turning regularly until completely charred. Place in a bowl and cover with lid, let the aubergine cool down and steam to help the skins fall over.

When cooler enough to handle, slit the aubergines lengthways and scoop out the flesh. Finely chop the flesh into an aubergine like paste.

For the walnuts, soak over night. Drain then pop in a pan, cover with water and bring to a boil then simmer. Cook for 30 mins to 2 hours depending on how much time you have or how soft you want the walnuts. Then remove from pan, drain, and pulse the walnuts in a blender into small crumbs.

For the regu, cook down the onions, celery, and carrots in a generous spoon of olive oil until onions are brown, then add garlic, bay leafs, cover with red wine, bring pan to a boil and cook until wine reduces by half the volume. Then add tomato paste, smoked aubergines, blended walnuts followed by tomato passata. Season generously with salt and some cracked black pepper. Add in dried lentils and vegetables stock cube and water (only add water if you are using dried lentils!).

Place a lid on top and cook down until lentils are soft, anywhere from 20 minutes to 40 minutes.

Ingredients

Handful of walnuts
1 large aubergine
1 large carrot
1 onion
1 celery stick
4 cloves of garlic
2 fresh bay leaves
2 large tbsp tomato puree
200ml vegan friendly red wine
800g tomato passata
400ml vegetable stock (only add if your using dried lentils)
1/4 cup dried lentils
1tbsp brown miso paste or soy sauce
Salt
Cracked black pepper

Serve with pasta, fresh herb of choice, extra virgin olive oil and nooooch