TODAY’S RECIPE: Cranberry & lentil bake

FULL of festive flavours. Serves: 1.

Ingredients

25g dried cranberries 1 tbsp red wine 125g cooked Puy lentils 2 tsp olive oil ½ onion, finely chopped ½ garlic clove, crushed or finely grated 1 tbsp chopped sage ½ tbsp chopped parsley ¼ tsp smoked paprika Pinch ground cloves 1 tsp tomato puree 1 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp cornflour

Method

1 Heat oven to 200c/180c fan/gas 6. Oil and line base of a 200ml ovenproof ramekin with a circle of baking parchment. Put cranberries in a small pan with wine and cook for a couple of minutes over a medium heat until cranberries are plump and wine is syrupy. Pour into ramekin and set aside.

2 Put lentils in a bowl and roughly mash half of them with a fork. Heat oil in a small pan and cook onion for six to eight minutes over a medium heat until softened. Stir in garlic, herbs, paprika and cloves and cook for another minute. Turn off heat and add lentils, tomato puree, soy sauce and cornflour. Stir everything well, then spoon into ramekin, pressing down gently with back of a spoon. At this stage it can be chilled for two days, or freeze for up to two months, with the ramekin covered. Defrost in the fridge before cooking.

3 Put ramekin on baking tray and bake for 15 minutes. Leave to cool for one minute. Serve on a plate with seasonal vegetables.