A winter warmer if ever there was one. Really we are going out of season for soups in this part of the world. although the evenings are still nippy enough to warrant a bowl of this with warm crusty bread for dinner. I have always found Lentil Soup such a comfort food. So easy to make. A complete meal in a bowl it's so thick and filling. I have tried to quantify the ingredients but this to me is more of a chuck in the pot soup. I also use up slightly 'past their best veggies' in it. The smoked bacon is essential though. Wonderful flavour.
Ingredients
250 gms/8 oz smoked streaky bacon
1 medium sized onion chopped
1 medium potato chopped
2 or 3 carrots chopped
2 red/orange/yellow pepper chopped (The more wrinkly they are the sweeter they are)
225g/8oz red lentils
1 teaspoon of paprika
A good pinch of cayenne pepper
A 400g/14oz can of tomatoes
900mls/1 1/2 pints approx. chicken stock (Keep some more to the side in case you find the soup too thick)
Black pepper
A little oil
Add any veggies around that need using up.
Method
Cut up the bacon and fry gently in the oil.
Add onion and spices and cook slowly until soft.
Add the carrots potatoes peppers and tomatoes then the lentils.
Give it all a good stir.
Add the stock and simmer until the lentils are nice and soft.
Using a stick blender, purée the soup.
Add more stock if you find it too thick.
It freezes well too if you are like me and incapable of making a small pot of soup.
I really love red lentils! this soup looks wonderful!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Rosa
I love lentils and this look specially yummy!! xoxox Gloria
ReplyDeleteSounds great with bacon. Lentils soups are always satisfying enough to be a meal in itself.
ReplyDeleteI make a carrot and red lentil soup, but yours is a deluxe version and looks much tastier than mine. It's a real soup day here (dark and rainy) so I'd love a bowl of it now!
ReplyDeleteLooks like one delicious soup. I would love a bowl right now.First time to your blog, it is just lovely.
ReplyDeleteI had the best lentil soup ever at a restaurant called The Bagel. I think they were green or brown lentils. I also love this lentil soup recipe. Your soup looks great!
ReplyDeleteRosa Thank you . This soup is old fashioned but yes wonderful
ReplyDeleteGloria as always nice to see you.
Jude it is the ultimate comfort food in my book
Arista I never thought of it as a deluxe version. I feel as if I have been promoted LOL
Donna Thank you for dropping in and leaving a comment.
Hillary hello and welcome. I hope mine is comparable with the Bagel. It's the easiest soup to make.
I love red lentil soup Brenda, this looks gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteOh this sounds delish and I have some bacon bones in the freezer and with winter coming up this is going to be great.
ReplyDeleteSandy
xx
How clever are you, I could no more write down a recipe for lentil soup than fly in the air...... a bit of this a bit of that, I also can only make pans of soup enough to feed a navvy.
ReplyDeleteI'm making this as we speak! Using up some leftover easter ham instead of bacon though. :) Thanks!
ReplyDeleteGeorge Thank you. x
ReplyDeleteSandy Bacon Bones would be perfect. Butchers here used to give away ham/bacon bones for soup but not any more hence I started using bacon. x
Jaygirl I cannot ever make a small pot of soup x
Soon,Then Nice to see you here. I hope you enjoyed the soup x
I love that you included bacon in this recipe. It must add a nice smokey flavor to the soup. For an alternate vegetarian version you can check out my blog, Hartley Confections:
ReplyDeletehttp://hartleyconfections.com/2009/04/20/cooking-lights-nepalese-red-lentil-soup/
This looks great! I've never had red lentil soup before but I've had lentil soup many times and love it - seeing your picture is making me think about soup for lunch tomorrow... :)
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