‘Tis the season for forced rhubarb! Normally tucked into sweet desserts, we’ve made a slightly unusual but utterly tasty supper of rhubarb and butternut squash based lentils which will make your taste buds tingle!

Ingredients: clove of garlic, 2 shallots, 200g butternut squash, 1-2 sticks of forced rhubarb, handful of spinach, small bunch of parsley.

Larder: 150g rice, 100g yellow/red lentils, 1-2 tsp honey, 1 tin tomatoes, 350ml water (optional ½-1 tsp fennel seeds).

Instructions:

• Chop the shallots and dice a garlic clove. Peel and chop the squash into small 1-2cm chunks.
• Sauté shallots, garlic, squash and optional fennel seeds for 5 minutes in a large sauté pan or saucepan.
• Slice the rhubarb into about 1cm slices & add to the pan along with 2-3 tsp honey, allowing the honey to melt into the pan.
• Stir in the lentils and then add the tin of tomatoes and 350ml water. Add a pinch of salt and simmer for 25 mins or until lentils and squash are soft. Add more water if needed.
• Start cooking the rice in a saucepan according to packet instructions.
• Just before serving, chop spinach and parsley add to the lentils and cook until spinach wilts.
• Serve the rhubarb lentils with rice.