Recipes: Lentil & bacon soup

Blend your storecupboard pulses with cumin, turmeric and garlic to create this robust soup with crispy pancetta topping

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion , diced
• 2 x 70g packs pancetta cubes
• 1 carrot (about 120g), finely diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
• 1 chilli , sliced
• 2 low-salt stock cubes
• 250g red lentils , rinsed

  

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, 1 pack of pancetta and the carrot. Cook on a low to medium heat for 10 minutes until the onions are soft.
  2. Add the cumin, turmeric, garlic and chilli and cook for a further 1 - 2 minutes until the aromas are released.
  3. Pour in 1.25 litres of boiling water, crumble in the stock cubes and add the lentils. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 mins, stirring occasionally to ensure the lentils aren't sticking.
  4. Meanwhile, fry the remaining lardons in a small frying pan for about 10 minutes until crispy. You don't need to add any oil as plenty will run from the pancetta.
  5. Serve the soup with a sprinkle of crispy lardons on top.

  PER SERVING

  493 kcalories, protein 29.5g, carbohydrate 50.6g, fat 19.1 g, saturated fat 6.6g, fibre 7.7g, sugar 7.3g, salt 1.6 g

  source: bbcgoodfood.com