A utumn has arrived, and we are greeted by an abundance of squashes, root vegetables, and dark-leaved greens. As the 🔔 evenings get colder, hearty and comforting ingredients like pulses become increasingly appealing. Lentils, in particular, offer great value and can 🔔 make any main meal more satisfying. Brown lentils are a popular choice, either canned or dried. If using dried lentils, 🔔 soaking them first can reduce cooking time. Butter beans are another excellent option, known for their texture and body, making 🔔 them the "kings of beans" in my opinion.

Stuffed Squash with Lentils (pictured top)

Canned lentils are a convenient staple 🔔 for quick meals, but dried lentils can also be used. Replace the can with 200g of dried lentils soaked in 🔔 600ml of water or vegetable stock, and adjust cooking time accordingly. You may choose to omit the lardons for a 🔔 vegetarian version. Select your preferred squash variety, such as acorn, kabocha, harlequin, or red kuri. Cut the squash into rounds 🔔 or halves, remove seeds, and season with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Roast in the oven until tender.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 🔔 1 hr 30 min Serves: 4

5 tbsp light olive oil
100g lardons , free-range (optional)
2 medium onions , peeled and sliced
Sea salt and black 🔔 pepper
1 leek , trimmed, cut in half lengthways, then finely sliced and washed
3 sticks celery , trimmed, washed and finely sliced
2 carrots , 🔔 peeled, cut in half lengthways, then cut into fine half-moons
3 garlic cloves , peeled and thinly sliced
2 heaped tbsp tomato paste , 🔔 or 200ml passata
410g tin green lentils , undrained
1 sprig each thyme and rosemary, and 1 bay leaf (or whatever you have to 🔔 hand)
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
200ml vegetable stock
1 small-medium squash (about 800g), unpeeled, cut into 2cm-thick rounds and deseeded

Baked Butter Beans with Chermoula

Chermoula is a fragrant north African herb sauce often paired with grilled 🔔 fish or used as a marinade. This dish features butter beans, which have a rich flavor and thick, gelatinous juice. 🔔 Warm the beans in the oven, then pour off the liquor to use later. Serve with grilled flatbreads and halloumi, 🔔 if desired.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 50 min Serves: 4

For the chermoula
1 heaped tsp cumin seeds
1 generous handful flat-leaf parsley , thicker stalks removed and 🔔 discarded, leaves and tender stalks roughly chopped
1 generous handful coriander , roughly chopped, stalks and all
5 garlic cloves , peeled and roughly 🔔 chopped
1 red chilli , pith and seeds removed and discarded, flesh roughly chopped
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ lemon , juiced, then peeled and 🔔 zest finely chopped
Salt
90ml light olive oil

For the beans
600g tinned or jarred butter beans , warmed up in their juices, then strained 🔔 to reserve the liquid
12 small new potatoes , washed and halved
2 red onions , peeled, halved and each half cut into 4
400g 🔔 tinned cherry tomatoes , juice strained off and reserved
225g jarred roast red peppers (ie half a standard jar), drained and cut into bite-sized 🔔 pieces