Recipe: Sausage and lentil cassoulet

This a real winter warming stew which can be made with or without the sausages. Look for good-quality thick sausages here.

Rinse the lentils in a sieve under cold running water, then place in a pan with 600ml of water. Add a pinch of salt, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until “al dente” – just tender but still with a little bite. Drain in a sieve and set aside.

Heat a frying pan over a medium heat. Add one tablespoon of the rapeseed oil to a pan, then add the sausages and sauté over a medium heat until nicely browned, turning regularly.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in another pan and sweat the onion, carrots, celery, garlic and bay leaf for about 10 minutes until softened but not coloured.

Stir through the cooked lentils and then pour in the chicken stock and chopped tomatoes. Bring to a steady simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes. Season to taste, add the sausages to the pot and simmer for a further five minutes.

Finally stir in the parsley. Spoon the spiced lentil stew onto a large warmed platter, place the sausages on top and spoon over a dollop of crème fraîche and a few parsley leaves to serve.