Bacon, chilli and lentil stew recipe

For days when you’re looking for something quick and warming to eat whilst looking to serve something a little different from your normal repertoire. This recipe is perfect for feeding many hungry mouths or for making a big batch to freeze for even quicker meals in the days to come.

Ingredients

• 1tbsp of olive oil
• 2 rashers of smoked bacon
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 white onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 stick of celery
• 2 mild red chillies
• 800g tinned lentils
• 1tbsp of chopped basil

Method

1. Chop the bacon into nice bite size chunks and fry in a large frying pan or saucepan along with the olive oil.
2. While the bacon fries, peel and finely chop the garlic, onion, carrot, celery and chillies.
3. Once the bacon is crispy, add the other chopped ingredients. Sweat the vegetables till the onion becomes a bit translucent.
4. While the vegetables sweat, open and drain your tinned lentils and give them a rinse.
5. Once the vegetables have sweated down, add your lentils. You only want to cook the lentils for 5 minutes, as you don’t want them to become too mushy.
6. Just before serving add you basil, stir through the stew and season to taste.