Every van dweller has a recipe they return to when the weather turns cold and the diesel heater is working overtime. Ours is this lentil stew — thick, warming, and forgiving enough to work with whatever vegetables happen to be in the box under the bed.
We first made it during a week of rain in the Pyrenees, when the nearest shop was a forty-minute drive and we had to improvise with what was left in the cupboard. It’s been refined over dozens of cold evenings since then, and it’s now the closest thing we have to a signature dish.
What You’ll Need
Red lentils (250g — they cook fast and don’t need soaking), one onion, three cloves of garlic, a tin of chopped tomatoes, a tablespoon of cumin, a teaspoon of smoked paprika, and whatever vegetables you have. Carrots and sweet potato work beautifully. Courgette works too. Honestly, almost anything works.
The Method
Dice the onion and soften it in olive oil for five minutes. Add the garlic and spices, stir for a minute until everything smells extraordinary. Add the lentils, tinned tomatoes, and enough water to cover everything by about two centimetres. Chop whatever vegetables you’re using and add them too.
Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot and let it do its work for twenty-five minutes, stirring occasionally. The lentils will break down and thicken the stew naturally. Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon if you have one.
Serve with crusty bread if you’ve been near a bakery, or with rice if you haven’t. It feeds two generously, with enough left over for lunch the next day — which, in our experience, is always better than the first serving.
The best meals on the road are the simple ones, made with whatever the day provides.
