Ingredients

• 40g/1½oz butter
• 2 onions
• chopped
• 1 carrot
• chopped
• 1 stick celery
• chopped
• 3 sprigs rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 clove garlic
• chopped
• 400g/14oz lentils
• 1.2litres/2pints 2fl oz vegetable stock
• 600g/1lb 5oz assorted pumpkin or squash (total chopped weight)
• small bunch parsley
• chopped
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 4 tbsp sour cream

Directions

• In a large pan melt the butter and then add chopped onions
• carrot and celery. Tear in the rosemary and a couple of bay leaves and after a few minutes add the chopped garlic. When all have nicely softened
• tip in the lentils and pour over 1litre/1¾ pints of vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and then leave to simmer whilst you tend to the pumpkin.
• Using a variety of pumpkins and squashes gives the stew a more complex flavour. Here I use acorn squash and Cinderella
• but you want to end up with about 600g/1lb 5oz of peeled pumpkin in large chunks. Add them to the stew
• season and then pour over enough water to just cover all the ingredients. Put a lid on the pan and leave to simmer for 30-40 minutes.
• When the stew is almost ready
• add the chopped parsley.
• To make the stew creamier
• remove a small bowlful to a food processor and blitz it with 200ml/2fl oz of stock. Pour it back in and the stew becomes instantly more velvety.
• Serve the stew in bowls
• finishing each helping off with a cooling spoonful of sour cream.