Red Lentil Soup

Red Lentil Soup is one of the first soups that I learnt from my mum... (the memory makes me feel warm and makes me smile immediately to Her). It's nourishing in every meaning of the word. As I already wrote yesterday, this soup is my favourite for cold winter days -- together with home-baked bread, it makes a whole meal that will satisfy even a meat eater (I mean P. of course ;) ). I cooked it countless number of times and every time it tastes a bit different (though it's yummy every time). Feel free to change the proportions of the vegetables -- add or take away some potatoes, carrots, play with the amount of celery root etc.

Red Lentil Soup

Serves 4 portions as a main dish, 8 as a side dish.

1 big onion
4 carrots
1/2 celery root / knob celery
5 potatoes
1 parsnip
250g red lentils
300ml tomato purée (passata di pomodori)
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon marjoram
around 4-5 tablespoons olive oil
salt, freshly ground pepper, fresh parsley leaves

1. Prepare the vegetables: wash them, peel and cut into cubes.
2. In a big stockpot warm up the olive oil and fry the onion until transparent. Add the remaining vegetables: carrots, celery root, potatoes, parsnip and fry for 4-5 minutes, stirring from time to time.
3. Add boiling water - around 1,5l, cover the vegetables with two times their volume. Stir.
4. Place the lentils in sieve and rinse them well under cold running water. Add to the soup, bring to boil, then lower the heat to medium and cook for around 15 to 20 minutes until lentils are soft. You might need to add more hot water.
5. At the end add tomato purée and season the soup with salt, pepper, marjoram and pressed garlic. Serve with chopped fresh parsley leaves. Bon appétit!