Silverbeet & lentil rolls

MAKES 8 rolls

You may have noticed how often silverbeet features in Mum’s recipes. It’s because her vege garden always has a good supply of it and, by her own admission, says, “I find it easier to grow than spinach and it has a bit more grunt to it.” Enough said. This is an ideal dish for vegetarians or vegans.

8 large silverbeet leaves, or an assortment of leaves which you can overlap to create 8 rolls

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup cooked lentils,

brown or green

½ cup courgettes, grated

¼ cup mint or parsley,

finely chopped

¼ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp salt and a grind

of black pepper

400g tin chopped tomatoes

1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Cut the stem from the silverbeet leaves. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil and blanch the leaves. Drain and lay out flat on a clean tea towel.

2 For the filling, gently fry the onion in the oil until cooked, but not coloured. Remove from heat and add the lentils, courgettes, herbs, cumin, salt and pepper. Toss together.

3 On each leaf, place one heaped tablespoon of the filling and roll up to form a neat sausage-shaped roll. Depending on the size of your leaves, you may put a little more filling on. Continue until you have 8 neat rolls and place snugly in a buttered ovenproof dish. If there is filling to spare. scatter it in the dish.

4 Pour about ¾ of the tin of tomatoes over and cook for 30 to 45 minutes – if it’s looking a little dry, pour the remainder of the tomatoes over the rolls. Serve hot or at room temperature.