Mount Zero French Style Fine Green Lentil and Chorizo Mushrooms

170g Mount Zero French Style Green Lentils

750g chicken stock

2 cloves garlic, smashed with the back of a knife 

1 cinnamon stick

4 whole cloves

2 bay leaves salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 chorizo sausages, sliced lengthways

30g Mount Zero Frantoio Extra Virgin Olive Oil

60g onion, peeled and finely chopped

60g carrot, peeled and finely chopped

60g celery, finely chopped

400g tinned chopped tomatoes salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

12 flat mushrooms

30ml Mount Zero Frantoio Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and pepper to taste

12 lemon thyme sprigs

Micro herbs

Rinse the lentils in cold water, drain and place in a saucepan with the lentils, chicken stock, garlic, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaves. Gently simmer for 20 minutes or until just cooked.  Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove and discard the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, garlic and cloves then set aside, keeping the lentils warm until needed.

Thread the sliced chorizo onto metal skewers and cook on a grill until charred. Remove, cut into small dice and set aside.

Heat a frying pan, add the olive oil and add the onions, celery and carrots, cooking for 3 minutes or until they start caramelising. Tip in the tomatoes and chorizo and simmer for 25 minutes until the mixture slightly thickens. Combine the lentils and tomato mixtures and simmer for 5 minutes, adjusting the seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Chop the parsley and fold into the mixture.

Grill the mushrooms in a hot pan on both sides until cooked and golden. Season and sprinkle over the thyme leaves. Spoon some of the lentil mixture onto the mushrooms, top with the micro herbs and serve.