Oven-baked lentil soup with greens
SERVES 6-8
PREP TIME 10 minutes
COOK TIME 1 hour
My dear friend Linda Smith lives in Memphis, where she has the most wonderful farm filled with hummingbirds. This soup is one of hers. I often make a big batch then eat it for lunch throughout the week; the flavours deepen the longer it is left. I am always adding different things to it depending on my mood and the season – kale, swiss chard or even parsley (stems and all) are all great additions. I sometimes pop in a few skinless chicken thighs too. By the time the soup is cooked the meat will be soft enough to eat with a spoon and the bones will have added lots of flavour.
I often make a big batch then eat it for lunch throughout the week; the flavours deepen the longer it is left
2 litres chicken stock (or vegetable stock, if preferred)
225g dried yellow split peas
225g dried green or brown lentils
4 carrots (about 450g), scrubbed, trimmed and chopped into 2.5cm pieces
4 celery stalks, chopped into 2.5cm pieces
1 leek, trimmed and chopped into 2.5cm pieces
2 bay leaves
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
large bunch seasonal greens (about 250g), stripped from any large stems, then sliced
chopped herbs, to garnish
crusty bread and butter, to serve (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 180C/ 160C fan/gas 4.
- Put the stock, dried peas, lentils, vegetables, bay leaves, cumin, salt and pepper into a large heavy casserole dish and stir to combine. Cover and bake in the oven for 1 hour, or until the peas and lentils are tender.
- Remove from the oven and fish out and discard the bay leaves. Stir through the seasonal greens until wilted.
- Just before serving, garnish with the chopped herbs, then ladle the soup into warmed soup plates and serve with bread and butter, if desired.