Mushroom No Meatballs

Ingredients

   •   1 small onion, finely diced

   •   400g diced mushrooms
   •   2 tbsp olive oil
   •   2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
   •   1 tbsp tomato paste
   •   1 cup cooked brown lentils, drained
   •   1 cup breadcrumbs (add more if mixture is too wet)
   •   1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water, set aside 10-12 minutes)
   •   2 cloves garlic, minced
   •   1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
   •   1½ tsp smoked paprika
   •   Salt & pepper to taste
   •   1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
    - flour to toss balls in.

Method

Sauté the Base.
Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cooking until soft and fragrant.

Add Mushrooms.
Stir in the chopped mushrooms and cook until all moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms turn golden brown (8–10 minutes).
Add Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste, mix through, then remove from heat.

Mixture.
In a large bowl, combine:
   •   cooked mushroom mixture
   •   lentils
   •   breadcrumbs
   •   flax egg
   •   seasonings

Mix until well combined. The mixture should hold when pressed.
If it’s too wet, add more breadcrumbs.

Form Mushroom balls.
Roll the mixture into 1–1½ inch balls and place on a tray.
Toss one by one through flour to coat each.

Cook.
Pan method:
Heat a little oil in a non-stick skillet and cook mushroom balls on all sides until browned.

Oven method:
Bake at 190°C for 20–25 minutes, drizzle with some olive oil, flipping halfway.