Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 350 g brown or green lentils
• 1 pieces onion, diced
• 2 pieces carrots, diced
• 2 pieces celery stalks, diced
• 3 pieces garlic cloves, sliced
• 400 g tinned tomatoes
• 1.5 l vegetable stock
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 pieces bay leaves
• 1 pieces lemon
• 20 g parsley, chopped

Steps

1. 1
   Soften the onion, carrot and celery in the olive oil over medium heat for 10 minutes without browning.
2. 2
   Add the garlic and cumin and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
3. 3
   Stir in the tomatoes and cook 5 minutes until they darken.
4. 4
   Add the rinsed lentils, stock and bay leaves and bring to a simmer.
5. 5
   Cook 30-35 minutes until the lentils are tender. Season only now — salt added early keeps lentils firm.
6. 6
   Blend about a quarter of the soup and stir it back in for body, or leave it brothy.
7. 7
   Finish with a hard squeeze of lemon and the parsley. The acid at the end is what stops it tasting flat.