Soup: Luscious Lentil Luxuries

Brrrrrr as Spring isn't quite here yet! We wanted a lovely warming & filling lunch but as usual it had to be a quickie. So, what else could it be but lentil & bacon soup!!  Also because I'd made some gorgeous mixed seed brown bread yesterday which would be delicious with the rich, tasty luxurious soup.

Ingredients
Butter
Garlic (bout 3 cloves)
Onion
Carrots
Chilli
Lentils (bout 200g)
Salt & Pepper

Method

• Add knob of butter to saucepan
• Peel, top & tail garlic cloves & add to melted butter

• Top, tail & peel Onion. Half, slice & dice into small pieces then add to melted butter & garlic

• Top, peel & prepare the carrots, Slice into strips then dice into small pieces. Add to garlic & onion

• Remove rind from rashers of bacon. With a pair of scissors cut the bacon into small strips
• Move ingredients over to one side in the saucepan, creating a space
•  Add the strips straight into this space in the saucepan to saute, mixing & turning continuously

• Top. tail & de-seed the chilli, flatten, slice into thin strips & dice into tiny pieces then add into saucepan & saute along with all ingredients 

• Add lid, mix gently together and continue to saute all ingredients

• Add lentils into a large sieve

• Rinse lentils thoroughly in fresh cold water 

• Once rinsed add lentils into saucepan
• Mix gently into the ingredients and saute stirring continuously for few mins

• Remove from heat whilst making the stock
• Quick stock, add ham stock cube & swirl of tomato puree into bottom of jug
• Add boiling water into jug, stir until all dissolved then add stock into saucepan

• Stir in the stock, add to flame & keep stirring continuously until soup comes to the boil
• Allow to cook for half an hour or so, if you have time keep stirring or if not add lid, reduce heat & allow to thicken & flavours merge

• When ready, stir & serve with crusty brown bread. This soup is a delicious, thick, rich most flavoursome lunch time luxury, Nicely filling without being too heavy

Mmmmmmm enjoy!!

• Funnily enough, I dislike tinned Lentil Soup or cartoned but homemade lentil soup I absolutely love, not sure if its the chilli, the bacon . . or just the purity but the flavours are simply gorgeous.