Roasted tomato & red lentil soup

Ingredients

For 2 portions

• Onion1 onion (150 g)
• Olive oil20 ml
• Garlic3 cloves (15 g)
• Vegetable stock640 ml
• Ripe tomatoes600 g
• Red lentils80 g
• Spinach80 g
• Lemon juice15 ml
• Sea salt3 g
• Black pepper1 g
• Fresh basil10 g
• Flat-leaf parsley10 g

Method

1. 1

   Prepare your ingredients: onion — peel and dice; garlic — peel and crush or finely slice; vegetable stock — make up from a stock cube or pot, or use homemade; ripe tomatoes — halve and roast or chop roughly; red lentils — rinse well in cold water; spinach — wash; no chopping needed for baby spinach; lemon juice — juice of ½ lemon; fresh basil — tear leaves; flat-leaf parsley — roughly chop.

2. 2

   Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Toss the tomatoes with half the olive oil, season, and roast for 25 minutes until blistered.

3. 3

   Warm the olive oil in a large pan over a medium-low heat and soften the onion with a pinch of salt for 8–10 minutes, without colouring.

4. 4

   Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

5. 5

   Add the roasted vegetables and their juices and red lentils, then pour in 640 ml hot stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 18 minutes, stirring occasionally so nothing catches.

6. 6

   Add the spinach for the final 1 minute.

7. 7

   Take off the heat and cool for a few minutes. Blend until completely smooth, working in batches if needed and holding the blender lid down with a tea towel.

8. 8

   Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice.

9. 9

   Taste and adjust with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

10. 10

    Ladle into warm bowls and finish with the fresh basil and flat-leaf parsley and a little olive oil.