Lentil stew

To make the lentil stew, start with the vegetable mixture. Trim the carrot and chop into cubes of around 1/8” (4 mm) 1. Do the same with the celery and onion 2. Next, chop the onion again to cut it into even smaller dice 3. Tie the aromatic herbs together with some string to form a small bunch. 

Add a good glug of oil to a large pot, followed by the chopped vegetables and an unpeeled clove of garlic 4. Let this brown over low heat for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft. Rinse the lentils well under running water, then add them to the pot 5, along with the bunch of herbs 6.

Now add the tomato purée 7. Fill the container the purée was in with water to rinse it, adding this water to the pot slowly until the lentils are covered 8. You’ll need around 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) of water. Stir and then leave to cook over low heat, covered, for 45-60 minutes 9. While the lentils are cooking, you’ll need to stir them every once in a while and add more water when they start to get dry; in total, you should add around another 2 cups (500 ml) of water. After 45 minutes have passed, taste the lentils to check the consistency and whether you need to cook them for longer.

Toward the end of the cooking time, adjust with water as needed. Season with salt and pepper 10, remove the bunch of aromatic herbs and clove of garlic 11. Serve the lentils hot or warm, finishing off the plates with a drizzle of olive oil and chopped rosemary and pepper to taste 12.