Puy Lentil & Vegetable Soup

Puy Lentil & Vegetable Soup – Serves 4

This recipe was taken from a cutting of a French magazine that my parents bought on their summer holiday in France this year. Puy lentils are a speciality of the Berry region where they live, so there is always a constant supply in my store cupboard!

Recently the weather here in London has been getting really cold – it even snowed a week or so ago, so I’ve definitely been in the mood for making some warming soups. This is a great vegetarian option that is really good for you, but if you do feel inclined to add some meat, a little crispy bacon or smoked ham would work a treat.

Ingredients

• 300g puy lentils
• 1 knob of butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, finely chopped (see picture)
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 450ml cold water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp Herbs de Provence (mixed herbs)
• 1 potato, peeled and cut into 5mm cubes (see picture)
• 1 litre chicken stock (vegetable for a purely vegetarian meal)
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• Salt & pepper
• Chopped parsley, to garnish

Method

Step 1
Melt the butter in a frying pan and add the onion, garlic and carrot and cook gently for around 5 minutes.

Step 2
Add the puy lentils and the water, bring to boil then cover and simmer for ten minutes. Make sure that you stir the lentils regularly so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. If the water evaporates before the ten minutes has passed, add a little extra – don’t let the lentils dry out.

Step 3
Add the stock, potatoes, puree and bay leaves and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover for 25-30 minutes. Once the lentils are done (the stock should have reduced and the lentils should be really tender), remove the bay leaves and serve with a little chopped parsley to garnish.

Adaptation
Why not try adding some cubed smoked ham at step 3, or stir in some crispy bacon at the end before serving.