Tater-crusted Lentil Hotpot

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup red lentils
• 5 medium potatoes
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 3 sticks of celery, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic (yuuuuuuuuuum...)
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 5 tomatoes, peeled + chopped
• 1 large veg. stock cube
• 1 cup of water
• 2 tablespoons tomatoe paste
• 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
• 15g butter
• 1/4 tsp paprika

1. Add lentils to saucepan of boiling water, bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 10 minutes; drain well.
2. Boil or steam potatoes in their skins til tender.
3. Heat oil in large saucepan, add onions, carrot, celery and garlic, stir over medium heat for about 5 minutes until onions are soft. Stir in curry powder, cook for 1 min.
4. Add tomatoes, stock cube (do hobbits have those? shrugs oh well. i'm sure you can use something else?) water and paste, bring to boil, reduce heat, cover, then simmmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in Parsley and lentils; spoon into large ovenproof dish.
5. Slice potatoes, arrange over lentil mixture. Brush potatoes with butter, sprinkle paprika.
6. Bake in moderate oven for about 45 minutes or until lightly browned.

-- PeteJohnson^? - 21 Oct 2005