Red Lentil & Chorizo Soup

• servings: 6

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

200g cooking chorizo, peeled and diced

1large onion, chopped

2x carrots, chopped

pinch of cumin seeds

3x garlic cloves, chopped

1 tsp smoked paprika, plus extra for sprinkling

pinch of golden caster sugar

small splash red wine vinegar

250g red lentils

2x 400g cans chopped tomato

850 ml chicken stock

plain yogurt, to serve

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the chorizo and cook until crisp and it has released its oils. Remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl, leaving the fat in the pan. Fry the onion, carrots and cumin seeds for 10 mins until soft and glistening, then add the garlic and fry for 1 min more. Scatter over the paprika and sugar, cook for 1 min, then splash in the vinegar. Simmer for a moment, then stir in the lentils, and pour over the tomatoes and chicken stock.

2. Give it a good stir, then simmer for 30 mins or until the lentils are tender. Blitz with a hand blender until smooth-ish but still chunky. Can be made several days ahead or frozen for 6 months at this point. Serve in bowls, drizzled with yogurt and olive oil, scattered with the chorizo and a sprinkling of paprika.

Notes

Sweet smoked paprika and cumin flavour this rustic blend topped with spicy Spanish sausage