Lentil and pea stew

by Leah Halmagyi

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried green lentils
  • 1 white onion, finely diced
  • 1 stick celery, finely diced
  • 1 carrot, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp vegetable oil
  • 1L chicken stock, made from stock cubes
  • 2 tsp dried Italian herbs
  • sea salt flakes and freshly-milled black pepper
  • 2 cups frozen peas
  • steamed rice, to serve

Instructions

1 Wash the lentils thoroughly, discarding any that float. Drain, then set aside. Sauté the onion, celery, carrot and garlic in oil in a large saucepan over a moderate heat for 5 minutes, until just starting to brown.
2 Add the lentils, stock and dried herbs, then simmer gently for 30 minutes, until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Add the peas, simmer for 2 more minutes, then serve with steamed rice.