Seasonal local food recipe No. 311- Squash and lentil soup with coriander and smoked paprika
Bridget Gould, one of our professional growers, has recommended this recipe from Felicity Cloake in The Guardian. Looks like Sunday lunch is sorted in our household!
Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
800g peeled and seeded pumpkin or squash
2 carrots, about 200g, peeled
4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
400g tin of plum tomatoes
100g red lentils
small bunch of coriander
Method
Heat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Cut the squash and carrots into chunks about 4 cm square and toss with a little oil. Spread out on a baking sheet and cook for about 30 minutes until tender and very slightly charred.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over a medium-low heat and cook the onion until soft, golden and beginning to caramelise. Stir in half a teaspoon of paprika and cook for another minute or so, then tip in the tomatoes and mash up. Stir in the lentils and about a litre of water and bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are soft.
Add the roasted vegetables to the pan and take off the heat. Whisk together the remaining teaspoon of paprika with the remaining tablespoon of oil and a pinch of salt. Puree the soup and season to taste, adding a little more water if you prefer it thinner. Roughly chop the coriander. Divide between bowls and drizzle over the paprika oil. Top with coriander and serve.
