First things first - the name for this came about through my own, slightly hazy, thought processes. I wanted to find a mnemonic for remembering the three lentil colours in the order they are added - green, red, yellow - and the only thing I could think of was the flag of Cameroon, which features those colours left to right. And who is Cameroon's most famous celebrity? Why, it's the flamboyant footballer of the title.

Second things secondly, this is a lot nicer than it sounds, and freezes very well, so don't be scared to make too much.

Ingredients - Serves 4 people (or 3 hungry ones)

• 2oz green lentils
• 2oz red split peas
• 1 400g tin chickpeas
• 6oz chorizo sausage (unsliced), finely diced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 medium red chillies, finely chopped
• 1tbsp crushed coriander seeds
• 1 pint vegetable stock
• 1 small handful fresh or dried tarragon¹

Method

1. Rinse the green lentils and place in rapidly boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and reserve.
2. In a large saucepan, soften the onion in a little oil over a medium-low heat but do not let it colour. Once it has softened, add the coriander and stir well.
3. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for another minute.
4. Add the green lentils and the red split peas. Stir once and just cover with stock. Keep an eye on the level of stock through cooking and top up as necessary.
5. Turn down to a simmer, and allow to cook for 30 minutes.
6. Briefly fry the diced chorizo in a generous splash of extra virgin olive oil. Do not let the temperature get too high, otherwise the oil will burn. Add the chorizo and oil to the main pot, along with the chickpeas and tarragon. Stir and allow to simmer for a further five minutes.
7. Serve with cucumber and mint raita (yoghurt) and crusty bread.

Back to my recipe book.