Winter Lentil Soup

Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 1-1 1/2 hours Serves: approx 6

Description

This recipe is from Annabel Langbein's 'Great Food for Busy Lives' book. It is very easy to make and freezes really well.

Ingredients

2 Tb spoons olive oil
1 large onion finely diced
1 carrot peels and finely chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 large cloves of garlic crushed
2 tsp smoked paprika
120g smoked kransky or chorizo sausage diced
2 1/2 Lt good chicken stock (if you buy the liquid stock from the supermarket you can get away with just 1 Lt and the rest water as they can be quite salty)
2- 400g cans crushed tomatoes
2 ups washed brown lentils (make sure they aren’t heat treated)
2 bay leaves
salt pepper to taste
1 Tbsp lemon juice
chopped coriander

Method

Heat oil in large pot and gentle cook onions and carrots until soft add tomato paste, garlic, paprika and sausage. stir over heat for another minute. add stock, tomatoes, lentils and bay leaves. simmer gently until lentils are very soft which will take 1-1 1/2 hrs depending on the age and dryness of the lentils. season to taste - mix in lemon and coriander. can be served with sour cream of creme fraiche.