Balsamic Aubergine with Italian Lentils and Carrot Mash

Preheat the oven to 220°C (fan 200°C). Peel the carrots and finely chop. Dice the aubergine into 3cm cubes. Finely dice the red onion. Deseed the pepper and dice into 1cm squares. Roughly chop the capers. Zest and quarter the lemon. Roughly chop the parsley.

Place the chopped carrots in a medium saucepan, cover with salted boiling water and simmer for 15–18 mins until very soft, then drain. At the same time, in a separate medium saucepan, cover the green lentils with salted boiling water and boil for 20–25 mins until cooked through, then drain.

Heat a medium frying pan with 1 tbsp oil over a medium-high heat until hot. Add the aubergine cubes and fry for 4–5 mins until charred on the outside. Pour in the balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. Cook for 1 min, stirring to coat, then transfer to a lined baking tray. Roast in the oven for 12–15 mins until soft.

Return the frying pan to a medium-high heat with 1 tbsp oil. Cook the red onion and diced pepper for 4–5 mins until softened. Dissolve the half vegetable stock cube in 200ml boiling water. Add to the pan along with the capers, dried garlic and nutritional yeast. Simmer for 4–5 mins until the liquid has reduced by half.

Return the drained carrots to their saucepan. Add the almond yoghurt, season with sea salt and black pepper, and mash until smooth. Return to a medium heat for 2–3 mins, stirring, until any excess liquid has cooked off and the mash is piping hot.

Add the drained lentils to the vegetable pan and stir in the chopped parsley. Serve the carrot mash topped with the lentil mixture and charred aubergine. Garnish with the lemon zest and lemon wedges.