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I sort of improvised the other day and it was ok but pretty blah... Would really like some delicious recipes, please help!

I do Nigella's sausage and lentil thing regularly (you don't specify if you want vegetarian or not).

Chop onion and sweat in pan with some garlic. Add puy lentils and a fair bit of cold water. NO salt. Bring to boil, then cover and simmer until they reach the done-ness you like. Season to taste, and also lots of chopped parsley.

Meanwhile, brown some decent sausages (I like Toulouse ones) and some more garlic. Pour in a good slosh or two (or more!) of red wine. Let it all bubble and scoop up the sticky bits from the pan.

Put lentils on plate. Sausages on top, pour over the winey-goodness. More parsley to make it look pretty. Eat.

Hello - that sounds great and it doesn't have to be vegetarian. I'm in Austria and their selection of sausages doesn't extend beyond frankfurters, but maybe I can find something else that will do!

I do red lentil & cheese wedges, which are great in a lunch box or alternatively good with steamed veg & gravy.

I normally double the cheese because I like cheese think it tastes better

Lentil & Cheese Wedges
Red lentils - 8oz/225g
Water 3/4 pint/450ml
Large Onion, chopped 1
Butter or marg 1oz/25g
Cheddar Cheese, grated 4oz/100g
Mixed herbs 1tsp
Egg 1
Breadcrumbs 1oz/25g
Salt & pepper to taste

Cook the lentils in the water until soft and all the liquid has been absorbed.

In saucepan, melt the butter and fry the onion until transparent.

Combine all the ingredients, press into an oiled 9"/23cm sandwich tin.

Bake in the oven at 190C/375F/Mark5 for 30 mins.

oooh both those sound good!

sarah brown's lentil loaf
easy to make and no bloody breadcrumbs!
Tastes lovely and is really filling

I serve with salad bread and sometimes potatoes

Thanks, can't wait to try these!

Try using chunky bacon instead of sausages in your sausage and lentil stew?

I also make lentil salad in summer:
cooked lentils, finely chopped spring onion and tomato, lemon juice, vinaigrette, herbs and plenty of seasoning.

puy lentils with goats cheese? Just melt the cheese in to the cooked lentils. There is a Deliah recipe which includes a lovely walnut dressing to go with it.

ooh that salad sounds nice

although the irony of it being posted by mmb

If you like spicy then try Delia's Dhal Curry. I find it addictive and cant stop eating it (btw, mine looks nothing like her photo. It is smoother).

Lentil soup is always a winner and very easy and filling.

Delia's veggie moussaka with ricotta topping is delicious - seems to appeal to both carnivores and veggies - well our non veggie family like it and SIL and a couple of other veggies I've tried it out on like it too.

puy lentils with roasted veg

cook lentils in chicken stock and garlic

fry bacon cut up with some rosemary

roast fennel, red pepper, red onions and butternut squash

mix all together and serve warm with a big splodge of creme friache

its my go to easy lunch/supper thing

always complemented

staples in our house are
puy lentil salad (dressed with cumin, walnut oil, red onions, parsely and lime)
beans tossed with roasted pepers, anchovies, oil, lemon + garlic
beans served with a roast + juices made from the bean stock and roasting juices
home made baked beans
ham and bean stew
dahl (sunday night after heavy weekend)
lentil burgers

We love Nigel Slater's Indian Bean Stew with Coriander Cream Onions. It is in his Real Cooking book. I don't follow the recipe exactly anymore but this is our version:
Fry onions, chopped root ginger and garlic. Add black eyed beans and tin of kidney beans. Add tin of tomatoes, tablespoon of coriander, 2 small chillies chopped, 250ml thick yoghurt. Bring to boil, cook.
At end add 2 handfuls of spinach and cook for 5 minutes.
For the spiced onions, fry big sliced onion and a teaspoon of cumin in butter until golden. Stir in small pot of double cream and a handful of chopped fresh coriander. Big dollop of beans with the onions on top. Yum - even better the next day.
His 30-Minute cook book has a load of pulse recipes too.

that sounds nice, Tuppy.

Any ideas of quantities for black eyed beans?

I throw in a tin he recommends 250g of dried and then soak overnight, drain, boil and cook till tender. Cannot be bothered so I do a tin of black-eyed beans and a tin of kidney beans. His recipe also uses 4 fresh tomatoes halved - again I use a tin instead as I usually have one to hand!

I love this Rose Eliot recipe with Mash or baked potatoes or rice and lots of grated cheese!

Green lentil chilli

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove crushed
1x 400g/ 14oz can chopped tomatoes
1x 425g/ 15oz cans red kidney beans
4oz (125g) green lentils, washed and simmered in plenty of water for 30 minutes, or until tender
1 tsp mild paprika powder
1 tsp mild chilli powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion and pepper for 10 minutes, then add the garlic and chopped tomatoes.
2. Drain and rinse the red kidney beans and add to the tomato mixture with the paprika and chilli powder. Add the cooked green lentils and stir well to combine.
3. Simmer for about 15 minutes, season with salt and pepper and serve.