Lentil & smoked bacon soup

Ingredients:
1 thick slice of bacon cubed with fat
1/2 cup red split lentils (soaked for 15 minutes)
1/2 cup green lentils (soaked for 30 minutes)
1 tin gluten-free chopped plum tomatoes
1 onion finely chopped
3 small parsnips cubed
3 small carrots cubed
1 stick of celery finely sliced
A large handful of baby spinach leaves
2 pints water
2 gluten-free chicken stock cubes
1/2 fresh lemon squeezed
bunch of fresh parsley chopped
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
pinch of salt
pinch of thyme
crushed black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon of dijon mustard
1 teaspoon of paprika
2 fresh bay leaves
1 fresh red chilli finely chopped
Drizzle of rapeseed oil
Pinch of salt & cracked black pepper

Serves 5 (freezes well)

To Cook:
Place the cubed carrots and parsnips in a oven proof dish and drizzle with a small amount of rapeseed oil and a pinch of salt and cracked black pepper and place in the oven at 220c until slightly golden, depending on the size it should take anything between 20 -30 minutes, make sure not to overcook. Boil the green lentils for about 25 minutes until just cooked through. Fry the bacon in a large deep dish on a high to medium heat until all the fat is rendered and it is golden colour, add the onion and sweat for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, herbs and drained red lentils, and cooked green lentils. Add the stock and tomatoes and cook for a further 8-10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, remembering to add the roasted vegetables and spinach and parsley last. Cook for a further 2 minutes, and then you are ready to serve.

A hearty meal for winter, but equally delicious for the Ireland’s spring weather.