Bacon and Lentil Shepherd's Pie

Meanwhile, trim and halve the carrot, then quarter lengthways (no need to peel). Slice widthways into pieces about 0.5 cm thick.

Roughly chop the mushrooms.

Peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press).

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat.

Once hot, add the carrot and mushrooms to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and fry, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10-12 mins.

When the veg is halfway through cooking, add the bacon lardons to the pan and stir-fry until golden, 4-5 mins. IMPORTANT: Wash your hands and equipment after handling raw meat. Cook bacon thoroughly.

Meanwhile, drain and rinse the lentils in a sieve. Grate the Cheddar cheese.

When the bacon is golden, add the garlic to the pan and cook for 30 secs.

Stir through the chopped tomatoes, lentils, Worcester sauce, red wine stock paste, roasted spice and herb blend and sugar (see pantry for amount).

Simmer until the sauce has thickened, 5-6 mins. TIP: Add a splash of water if it's a little too thick.

Stir through the hard Italian style cheese and half the butter (see pantry for amount) until melted. Remove from the heat.

Preheat your grill to high.

Once the potatoes are cooked, drain in a colander and return to the pan, off the heat. Add the remaining butter (see pantry for amount) and a splash of milk (if you have any) and mash until smooth. Season with salt.

Transfer the lentil mixture to an appropriately sized ovenproof dish. Spoon over the mash, using the back of a spoon to smooth it out. Sprinkle over the Cheddar cheese, then place under your grill until golden and bubbling, 5-6 mins.