I think I've come up with the world's greatest vegetable soup. I'm telling you this as much as anything because I can't find a pen and I need a place to write this down in case I forget it. If you're interested, though, give this a crack. It won't let you down:-
Ingredients:
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2 large carrots
2 small leeks
1 medium/large onion
1 medium/large rooster potato, peeled and diced
8 radishes
Half a punnet mushrooms
250g (9oz) Lentils
1 tin chopped tomatoes
2 vegetable stock cubes
2 tsp crushed garlic
2 tsp crushed jalapeno chillis
4 tsp tarragon, chopped finely
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 large knob of butter
Directions:
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- Fairly coarsely slice the carrots, leeks, onion and mushrooms. Finely slice the radishes. Place in a roasting tray, preferably without it all overlapping too much.
- Melt the butter and add to the vegetables. Turn them over and mix them to coat.
- Place in the oven at 200C (400F) until the veg has all started to brown (30 mins approx).
- Mix the stock cubes in 2 litres (4 pints) water and place in a large pan with the lentils.
- Bring lentils/stock to the boil and simmer for five to ten minutes.
- Add the potato, tomatoes, garlic, chilli, tarragon, pepper, salt and roasted vegetables to the lentils/stock. Bring back to the boil and simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Ensure that the potato chunks are soft.
- Blend or whisk the soup to the desired consistency.
Be warned, this makes at least 6 largish bowls of soup. Half the quantities if you don't want so much.
It does have a little kick to it, but not at all spicy, so don't be worried by the chillis.
