Eat and drink: Vegan portobello brisket bowl!

 As my mother says, brisket is life itself. Portobellos are a fabulous translation for the falling-off-the-bone meatiness of brisket, and the lentil stew supplies that requisite aromatic brothiness, with hints of liquorice from fennel and caraway.

Mustard greens have just the right bitter and fresh bite to remind me of the Jewish flavours of my youth. I love to serve any version of mashed potatoes with it.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Stew

• 230g thinly sliced shallots
• 185g thinly sliced fennel
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Several dashes freshly ground black pepper
• 95g green lentils
• 710g tin crushed tomatoes
• 720 ml vegetable broth

Portobellos

• 4 portobello mushrooms, stems removed
• 60 ml olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Bowl

• Any version of creamy mashed potatoes.
• 280g loosely packed, roughly chopped mustard greens

1. Make the stew: Preheat a 3.8 litre pot over medium heat. Sauté the shallots and fennel in the olive oil with a pinch of salt. Add the garlic, thyme, bay leaves, caraway seeds, salt and pepper and sauté for one minute more, until golden and aromatic.
2. Add the lentils, tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender.
3. Preheat oven to 230°C. Line a rimmed baking tray with parchment paper. Toss portobellos with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange on tray, trimmed side up. Roast until tender and juicy, 18 to
   22 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make mashed potatoes using your preferred recipe.
5. Line bowls with mustard greens. Place scoops of mashed potatoes in each bowl and ladle stew over the potatoes. Top with
   a sliced portobello.

Extracted from I Can Cook Vegan by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, published by Abrams, priced £22.99 (hardback). Available now