Italian Style Lentil & Bacon Soup
Ingredients
30 ml extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 small red chilli (seeds and all), finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and cut into little chunks
3 stalks celery, cut into little chunks
60 g rindless bacon, diced
25 ml sun-dried tomato pesto
300 ml tomato pasta sauce
250 g green lentils
1.1 ? 1.25 ltrs chicken stock
sea salt, to taste
lemon juice, to taste
2 big handfuls of baby spinach leaves, washed thoroughly
freshly grated parmesan (optional)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 small red chilli (seeds and all), finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and cut into little chunks
3 stalks celery, cut into little chunks
60 g rindless bacon, diced
25 ml sun-dried tomato pesto
300 ml tomato pasta sauce
250 g green lentils
1.1 ? 1.25 ltrs chicken stock
sea salt, to taste
lemon juice, to taste
2 big handfuls of baby spinach leaves, washed thoroughly
freshly grated parmesan (optional)
Methods/steps
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat
Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden
Add the garlic and chilli and cook for 1-2 minutes
Tip in the carrots and celery
Increase the heat and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes
Toss in the bacon and give it all another minute
Add the pesto and the pasta sauce and mix it in well
As soon as it starts to bubble, reduce the heat and leave it to simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes
While the tomato mixture is simmering, prepare the lentils
Put them in a big fine sieve and swish them around in lots of cold water in a bowl to clean them
Check for small stones which are often found in lentils, don?t ask me why!
Add the lentils, along with the stock, to the tomato mixture
Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer covered, for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked but still have a bit of bite
Add salt and lemon juice to taste
Just before you?re ready to serve the soup, stir in the spinach and heat it for 2-3 minutes, or until the leaves have wilted
Ladle the soup into deep bowls and grate a little parmesan over the top
Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden
Add the garlic and chilli and cook for 1-2 minutes
Tip in the carrots and celery
Increase the heat and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes
Toss in the bacon and give it all another minute
Add the pesto and the pasta sauce and mix it in well
As soon as it starts to bubble, reduce the heat and leave it to simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes
While the tomato mixture is simmering, prepare the lentils
Put them in a big fine sieve and swish them around in lots of cold water in a bowl to clean them
Check for small stones which are often found in lentils, don?t ask me why!
Add the lentils, along with the stock, to the tomato mixture
Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer covered, for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked but still have a bit of bite
Add salt and lemon juice to taste
Just before you?re ready to serve the soup, stir in the spinach and heat it for 2-3 minutes, or until the leaves have wilted
Ladle the soup into deep bowls and grate a little parmesan over the top
Reviews
