1. Peel and dice the onion and garlic finely. Wash and dry the celery and carrot and dice finely. Clean the mushrooms/shiitake and dice finely. Wash and dry the rosemary and thyme, remove the leaves from the stems and chop finely. Set everything aside.

2. Heat up a large pot or dutch oven. Add the olive oil and heat up. Add the diced onion and fry until soft and glossy. Add the diced garlic and fry for a minute with the onions. Add the diced celery and carrot and fry for 4-5 minutes – stir from time to time so nothing burns. Add the diced mushrooms and cook for 6-8 minutes until lightly browned. Rinse the beluga lentils with cold water, drain and add to the pot – mix everything and let cook for another 2 Minutes. Mix in the chopped rosemary, thyme, oregano, salt, smoked paprika, liquid smoke* (optional), and some fresh pepper. Deglaze with the red wine and vegetable stock, bring back to a boil, then add the diced tomatoes and mix in. Reduce the heat to a medium-low, cover the pot/dutch oven, and let the sauce simmer for about 1 hour. If too much liquid evaporates during cooking, add some additional water, and continue cooking. Season the bolognese with some more salt and pepper if necessary and serve with your favorite pasta.