Sweat down onion, garlic (and celery if you choose, though not essential) and one red pepper with salt, pepper, olive oil and a bay leaf; when they’re all soft, add lentils and cover with water – bring to boil and simmer for about 30-40 minutes making sure you keep topping up with water as required. Towards the end add some red wine and a little balsamic vinegar – season with a little more salt and pepper as required and stir a little bit of olive oil through it.