Tomato Soup for Lunch

This tomato soup is definetly not the tomato soup of my childhood - it came from a can and was something that we had as a quick lunch, usually with bread and butter or sometimes toast.

This is another recipe that can be cooked from the pantry, it uses tinned chopped tomatoes, however, use fresh stewed tomatoes if you have them.  I like to use vegetables and the Kabana but have made it plenty of times with just tinned tomatoes, lentils and stock/stock cubes and water. I still like it with bread, preferably a crusty sourdough, and butter.

Tomato, Lentil and Vegetable Soup

 If you prefer a chunkier soup use vegetables cut into small dice

1 litre chicken stock/vegetable stock 1 large tin chopped tomatoes 1 ½ cups red lentils, rinsed Optional 1 stick kabana, finely diced

1 leek, split in half, washed and thinly sliced 1-2 carrots, grated 3 sticks celery, grated 1 capsicum, grated 1 clove garlic, crushed

Method

Place stock, tomatoes, vegetables and lentils in a large saucepan. Add some additional water. The soup needs to have enough liquid to simmer without sticking or burning.

Bring the soup to boil, stir and then simmer until lentils are soft, stirring every now and then to prevent the lentils sticking. I usually cook this for about an hour or longer. During the cooking process the lentils and vegetables go quite mushy.

Check for seasoning*, add some freshly ground black pepper.

Serve with a sprinkle of grated parmesan and chopped parsley

*I do not add salt to the soup during cooking, however, individual tastes may require some additional salt when served.