Pulses....... so uninspiring

Scribbles.....drool

I slow cook a ham hock with whole peppercorns and bay leaves until it's falling apart. Carefully strain, putting aside the liquid to cool.
Finely shred the meat off the ham hock and keep. Dispose of bones, gristly bits and herbs.
When the liquid is cold, skim any fat off the top, add 500g of dried green lentils or split peas, plus the shredded meat and a finely chopped onion. Add more water if necessary, bring to the boil and cook slowly until the pulses are cooked.
When it's cooled slightly, attack it with a hand blender or a potato masher so that it's mushed up but still has a few lumpy bits in it.
To serve, reheat and serve with crusty bread and a swirl of cream if you like it.

Baked beans in tomato sauce - just joking. But they're my husband's favourite.
I make a kind of dhal too, with red lentils. Sometimes with some sliced and pre-fried aubergine, courgette and red pepper.
Pease pudding made with dried green peas.

oldbatty, I like a good mix of root vegetable like swede, turnip and carrot with celery, garlic and onion. I usually put it all in the slow cooker with a carton of passata and a veggie stock cube - an added dash of white wine perks up the flavour. Towards the end I add chopped mushrooms and half a can of whatever pules I'm using.

Stick it all in a casserole dish, top with par-boiled sliced potatoes and bake.

Any leftovers go in the next day's soup.

merlot, what do you put in your vegetable hot pot to introduce flavour and texture please?

Cari you’re not supposed to be posting on threads. Haven’t you got any work to do? ?

I feel inspired!

I add butter beans and harissa spice to vegetable hot pot. I always keep a stock of tinned pulses in the cupboard as I've given up on the dried ones other than leaving them in jars on shelves because they look nice.

I love green lentils in a chicken tagine with squash and preserved lemons. Add some spices such as cumin and any veg available and it's just yummy.

A ham & veg casserole with red lentils is also a favourite. Use cider as stock for some extra pizazz. Serve with jacket potatoes or fresh bread.

Herbs and spices! I agree they can be bland on their own, so they need to be jazzed up with lots of flavouring. Harissa spice mix is great, and celery salt, Ras el Hanout mix, or Worcester sauce. I could go on! Cook up a mix of beans and lentils and make them into a bolognese style sauce with tomatoes and lots of flavouring. My daughter, a vegetarian, loves this.
They're also good made into veggie burgers, with lots of spices, bulgar wheat, quinoa flakes and an egg to bind it all together.