A favorite, comforting soup, often to be found bubbling away when we visit Michael’s mum.
Serves 4
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tsp red pepper flakes
6 oz red lentils
2 (14-oz) cans chopped tomatoes
61/3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
7 oz leftover ham (or bacon or pancetta), chopped
2 tbsp parsley or cilantro, chopped
7-8 oz container sour cream and chive dip (full-fat)
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and gently fry the onion and bell pepper for 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for a minute, then pour in the lentils, tomatoes, and stock. Bring the pan to a boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the lentils are really tender and beginning to break up. Stir in the ham and parsley and season to taste, then remove the soup from the heat and mash it coarsely with a potato masher, leaving some texture. Serve each portion with 1 tbsp of the sour cream and chive dip.
• CALORIES 440
• PROTEIN 25G
• FAT 23G
• FIBER 5G
• CARBS 40G