I don’t know about Summer wherever you might be, but here it seems to have left….. Unexpectedly, it has rained more in the past few days in Switzerland than in my last month in London. With temperatures having dropped well below 20°C, it was time for a comforting hearty soup with a side of crunchy garlic bread to enjoy in front of a blazing fire :-).

Spiced Lentil, Chorizo and Chickpea Soup

serves 4

You’ll need

140g red lentils
1 red onion, chopped
2 tsp cumin seeds
a large pinch or two of chilli flakes
400g tin chopped tomatoes
400g tin chickpeas, drained
125g chopped, skinless chorizo
850ml vegetable stock
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
ground cumin, optional
chilli powder, optional
garlic bread, to serve

1. Dry-fry the cumin seeds and chilli flakes in a large pan until the seeds start jumping around.
2. Add your olive oil and onions, fry for about 5 minutes until soft.
3. Stir in your lentils, stock and tomatoes. Bring everything to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes until the lentils are soft.
4. Either using a stick blender or a food processor, whizz your soup until smooth. Return to the pan and add the chickpeas and chorizo.
5. Bring back to a boil and simmer for a few more minutes, in order to heat the chickpeas/chorizo through. Season with salt and pepper. I added some ground cumin and chilli powder to give it that little extra punch.
6. Serve with a freshly baked loaf of garlic bread!

Rating: 7.5/10

A great quick and cheap soup for a midweek supper and leftover lunch!