Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• finely chopped
• 1 banana shallot
• finely chopped
• ½ red pepper
• finely chopped
• 250g/9oz Puy lentils
• 150ml/5fl oz red wine
• 500ml/18fl oz hot chicken stock (vegetarians may substitute vegetable stock)
• 100g/3½oz spinach
• 50ml/2fl oz double cream
• plus 1 tsp
• to garnish
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Cook the garlic
• shallots and pepper and fry for 3-4 minutes
• until softened and golden.
• Add the lentils and stir for one minute.
• Increase the heat and add the red wine. Boil to reduce the liquid volume by half
• then add the stock
• reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes
• until the lentils are tender.
• Add the spinach and cook for a further three minutes.
• Add the cream
• stir through and season
• to taste
• with salt and salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• To serve
• pour into a warm bowl and garnish with a swirl of cream.