Lentil Soup (with variations)

(serves 4) 

Ingredients 

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil 
• 1 onion peeled and finely chopped 
• 2 sticks of celery finely chopped
• 2 carrots peeled and finely chopped 
• 2 cloves of garlic peeled and chopped 
• 1 teaspoon of Maldon sea salt 
• 250g of red lentils 
• 1 bay leaf 
• 1 litre of unsalted stock or water 
• a squeeze of lemon 
• optional garnish: a few leaves of savoy cabbage shredded
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• a pinch of Maldon sea salt and a pinch of sugar

Method

Heat the oil in the casserole dish and soften the onions, celery, carrot and garlic for a few minutes. 

Add the salt and stir for a minute more. 

Rinse the lentils in a sieve under running water and add them along with the bay leaf and stock ( or water ) and simmer for 15 minutes - or until the lentils have swollen into a creamy mass 

If any scum appears just remove it with a ladle. 

Remove the bay leaf. 

If it's too thick add an extra 200ml of water. 

You can eat it as is or whizz until very smooth with a hand blender. 

Season to taste with lemon juice. 

If you want to make the optional garnish:  Fry the cabbage leaves in the oil until slightly crispy with pinches of salt and sugar. Serve the soup with a few crispy fried leaves in each bowl.  

Variations 

For fennel and butternut squash: replace the carrot and celery a small bulb of fennel and a small butternut squash the butternut squash should be around 400 grams after it's been peeled. Both need to be chopped. Add a little chopped rosemary as the vegetables soften. I might add a spoonful or two of cream or creme fraiche at the end and the zest of as well as the juice of lemon. Plus some chopped flat-leaf parsley and parmesan. 

For spiced green lentil and spinach: add a teaspoon of ground cumin and ground coriander as the vegetables soften. Replace the red lentils with green or brown lentils and cook for about 20 - 30 minutes instead of 15. Topping up the water if it dries out. Shred 200 grams of washed spinach and stir it in at the end, until wilted. Eat with yoghurt and sprinkle of cayenne. 

For lentil, pasta and chorizo: Add 100 grams of chopped chorizo along with the onion and celery (no carrot in this one) and 2 large chopped tomatoes along with the lentils. Use to Puy lentils instead of red and cook for 20 - 30 minutes instead of 15. Ten minutes before the end of cooking time boil some soup pasta according to the directions on the packet. And add some to each bowl. You can cook the pasta in the soup if you want but any leftovers will go soggy.