Best Braised Lentils

500g Puy or brown lentils

50ml olive oil

2 large carrots – peeled and finely diced

1 large onion – peeled and finely diced

3 celery sticks – peeled and finely diced

3 garlic cloves – peeled and finely diced

1 small head of fennel – trimmed and finely diced

½ small butternut squash – peeled & medium diced

300g spring greens – chopped

Bouquet garni of 2 bay leaves, 5 sprigs of thyme and stalks from a small bunch of flat leaf parsley.

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Put the lentils, the bouquet garni and a litre of water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Cook for ten minutes and add a teaspoon of salt. Cook until al dente and take off the heat.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a casserole and sauté the onions, carrot, celery and fennel for ten minutes. Add the garlic and squash and cook for another ten minutes. Add the spring green stalks, cook for another five minutes and add the leaves.

Strain the lentils, discarding the water, and add casserole with the bouquet garni, to the vegetables. Stir in the mustard, check the seasoning and cook for another few minutes, adding a little water to get it to the right texture.

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