Red lentils soup is a great tasting lentils soup and is served with smoked pancetta. This red lentil soup could be served with smoked streaky bacon and croutons.
Ingredients – Serves 4
- 200g red lentils
- 50g carrots
- 50g leek
- 8 rashers smoked pancetta
- 50g red onion
- Approx 1½l chicken or vegetable stock
- 6 parsley stalks
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Salt and milled black pepper to taste
- Chopped parsley, for garnish
- 50g croutons
Getting everything ready
- Make the chicken stock.
- Put the lentils into a fine strainer and wash well under cold running water.
- Peel and chop the carrot and chop the carrot into ½” dice. Peel and chop the onion into ½” dice. Wash and chop the white of the leek into ½” dice.
- Cut 4 rashers of pancetta into ½” strips. Cut the remaining rashers into ¼” pieces. Shallow fry in a frying pan until crispy (no oil). Remove and drain on kitchen paper and put aside for the garnish.
- Make your own croutons from white bread and put aside for the garnish.
- Chop the parsley for garnish.
Method
- Place the washed lentils into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer gently, skimming if necessary.
- Warm the oil in a large frying pan then add the onion, carrot, leek and remaining pancetta. Sweat for 5 minutes without colour.
- Add to the simmering lentils and simmer for a further 45 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, allow to cool slightly, and blend in a liquidiser until smooth. Pass the soup through a fine strainer into a clean saucepan.
- Reheat to nearly boiling. Season to taste.
- Ladle the red lentil soup into warm soup bowls. Garnish each bowl with a few crispy pancetta and sprinkle over chopped parsley. Serve with croutons.
Red lentils soup – hints and tips
If you can’t find pancetta, then use smoked streaky bacon instead in this red lentil soup.
For a vegetarian option, exchange the chicken stock for vegetable stock and omit the pancetta, leaving you with a red lentil soup.
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