Prep the veg: Peel and finely slice the onion and garlic. Clean and chop the leeks (use all of the leek, including the green part) and carrots into small rounds. Chop the potato and parsnip into small bite-sized pieces, leaving the skin on.

Sauté and sweat the veg: Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large pot (about 4 litres) and put it on a high heat. Add the onion, garlic, leek, carrots, potatoes and parsnip, along with 2 teaspoons of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and cook for 4 minutes, stirring regularly. Reduce the heat to low-medium, cover the pot, and let the vegetables sweat for 10 minutes – they will steam in their own liquid and soften, stirring occasionally. If anything starts to stick to the pot, add a few tablespoons of vegetable stock or water to deglaze the pan, scraping up any caramelised bits and stirring well.

Add the remaining ingredients (less the spinach): Add the rest of the ingredients, except the spinach. Turn the heat up high, stir well and bring to the boil.

Simmer until the lentils are soft, then add the spinach: Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until the lentils are cooked – they must be fully cooked before serving, so make sure to test them. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the spinach and leave to wilt for 2 minutes.

Serve: To serve, garnish with chilli flakes for a bit of spice and accompany with a slice of good-quality sourdough bread.