Lentil Sloppy Joes

📝 Ingredients

• 240 g dried green lentils
• 1 brown onion (about 150 g)
• 1 red pepper (about 180 g)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes (400 g)
• 3 tbsp ketchup (45 g)
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 wholemeal burger buns (about 60 g each)
• 80 g grated Emmental
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Saucepan
• Colander
• Large frying pan or sauté pan
• Wooden spoon
• Baking sheet
• Cutting board and knife

📖 Steps

1. Rinse the lentils in a sieve, then put them in a pan with three times their volume of cold water, unsalted: the filling will be seasoned later. Bring to the boil and cook for 20 to 25 min over a medium-low heat, until tender but still whole. Drain.
2. While they cook, peel and finely slice the onion, deseed the pepper and cut it into small 5 mm dice, then chop the garlic. Small pieces matter: the filling needs to stay in the bun without big chunks falling out.
3. During the last 10 minutes of cooking the lentils, heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the onion and pepper for 6 to 7 min, stirring, until soft and lightly golden. Add the garlic and smoked paprika and stir for 30 seconds without letting them burn.
4. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, ketchup and mustard, mix, then add the drained lentils. Season lightly with salt, add pepper and simmer for 10 min over a low to medium heat, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom.
5. Roughly mash a quarter of the lentils with the back of the spoon to bind the filling. It's ready when it's thick and a line drawn with the spoon doesn't close up; if it's too runny, cook for another 3 to 5 min over a medium heat.
6. Turn on the oven grill. Split the burger buns, place them cut side up on a baking tray and toast under the grill for 2 to 3 min, until the edges are golden. Keep a close eye on them: under the grill, bread goes from golden to burnt in a few seconds.
7. Generously spoon the hot filling onto the bun bases, sprinkle with grated Emmental and return under the grill for 1 to 2 min, just long enough for the cheese to melt. Top with the lids and serve immediately, with napkins: a proper sloppy joe drips a little.