Glenda’s Winter Lentil Soup

Hello fellow food lovers, this is my first ever post and I’ve no idea how this all works but hopefully through trial and error I will learn! I thought I would start with one of my family’s favourite soups. Lentils, bacon and chunky vegetables are married off with a citrus zing. This soup came from a TV Times pullout and must be more than twenty years old. The recipe was submitted by Glenda McKay who used to play Rachel in Emmerdale. I love a clean bowl and that’s exactly what I get after serving this soup. It can be served as a main meal with plenty of crusty bread and topped with grated cheddar and parsley.

I’m afraid I was in such a rush to get my rolls into the airing cupboard to rise before doing the school run yesterday, that I left the soup simmering on the hob for double the time it should have been. Hence the photo of my soup is less defined and more mushy than usual. But my husband said he really liked it as it was more dhal like. It is a very forgiving soup and still tasted great. For the bacon I use whatever I have in the fridge whether its smoked of back it doesn’t matter.

5 from 3 votes

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Glenda's Winter Lentil Soup

A delicious soup combining lentils, vegetables, bacon and orange juice. It makes a great meal in itself topped with grated cheese and parsley and served with crusty bread.

Servings 4

Author Glenda

Ingredients

• 1 onion
• 2 carrots
• 1 large parsnip
• 2 leeks washed
• 4 rashers streaky bacon rinded
• 3 tbsp oil
• 8 oz / 225g red lentils
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 pts / 1.1 litres chicken or vegetable stock
• juice of a large orange
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• chopped parsley or grated cheese

Instructions

1. Peel and finely chop onion.
2. Peel and chop carrots.
3. Peel parsnip and cut into chunks.
4. Trim and slice leeks.
5. Finely chop bacon.
6. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a deep pan and fry bacon until browned.
7. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
8. Add onion to pan and gently fry over low heat to soften. Reserve with bacon.
9. Heat remaining oil, add carrots, parsnips and leeks and stir for 2 mins. Return bacon and onion to pan and add lentils.
10. Stir in tomato puree and stock.
11. Bring to the boil then simmer covered for 25 mins or until lentils and vegetables are tender.
12. Stir in orange juice and season.
13. Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley or grated cheese (or both).

Recipe Notes

To make this vegetarian just omit the bacon.