Recipe for vegetable and lentil soup (serves 4-6) (From The Oxford Times)

Recipe for vegetable and lentil soup (serves 4-6)

3:18pm Wednesday 15th February 2012 in Food / Drink

This is a high-fibre, well- balanced soup, devised by Susan Hamilton-Mallet. It can be enjoyed as a complete meal that will keep your body sustained for many hours, as it contains all the nutrients that you need to keep energised.

YOU WILL NEED 2 tbs olive oil 1 large onion, chopped fine 1 leek chopped fine 2 large carrots, diced 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced 2 cloves garlic, chopped fine 75-100g chorizo, cut into chunks A good pinch of dry chilli powder 1-2 tspns paprika Medium tin chopped tomatoes 3 tbs dried Puy lentils, washed and drained 1½ litres of chicken stock Big bunch flat-leafed parsley Bag of spinach, washed Juice of half a lemon Salt and freshly-ground black peppercorns to season.

METHOD Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy- bottomed casserole pot over medium heat, add the onion, leeks, carrots, sweet potato and garlic. Mix well and gently cook for a few minutes.

Add the chorizo, chilli, paprika and finely-chopped stalks of the parsley and continue cooking for two minutes.

Add the tomatoes and stock, lentils, salt and pepper and bring to the boil then cover with a tightly fitting lid and simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until lentils are tender.

Add the spinach leaves, stir until they have wilted, add lemon juice and check seasoning.