Lentil soup

Thick and warming, this soup is great comfort food on a winter evening, serve with warm crusty bread.

Ingredients

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• 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 carrots, scrubbed and diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 225 g (1/2 lb) of dry red lentils
• 6 cups of vegetable stock or water
• 1 bay leaf
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• A squeeze of lemon juice

Method

1. Pick over the lentils and remove any stones. Rinse well.
2. Heat the olive oil, with a twist of pepper, in a large pan over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add the onion and carrots. Sauté for a few minutes, until the vegetables have started to soften, then add the garlic, stir-fry until the garlic takes some colour.
3. Add the lentils, bay leaf, and stock to the pot. Simmer over low-medium heat for 25-35 minutes, until lentils are softened.

Serving suggestion

Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice just before serving, serve hot with crusty bread.

Variations

Sprinkle with chili flakes for a spicier soup.

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