Tomato & Lentil Soup Recipe

Submitted by Gilly Sandford

My tomatoes this year had very thick skins and weren't very prolific so to use up the ones I had, I found a basic tomato soup recipe and adapted it. The result was lovely. Do skin the tomatoes first, if you too have suffered with thick skins!.

Makes 4–5 servings.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs tomatoes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 small carrot, chopped
• 2 tsps tomato puree
• 1.5 pints veg stock (Swiss Marigold Bouillion)
• 4 dessert spoons red lentils
• 2 bay leaves
• Good pinch paprika, small pinch cayenne, sprinkle of sugar

Method:

1. Skin tomatoes in boiling water, roughly chop.
2. Add a glug of olive oil to a saucepan, heat and sweat the onion and carrot, add the paprika and cayenne and tomato puree. Stir and colour the veg.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook down for about 20 mins.
4. Add the stock, lentils and sugar, a little salt and black pepper and tear in the bay leaves.
5. Cook/simmer for approx 30-40 mins until the lentils are soft.
6. Puree in a blender or with a hand held blender, taste and season.