Method

Heat a wide saucepan over a medium heat and sweat the onion in a little olive oil with a good pinch of salt. After a few minutes, add the celery and carrot and cook until the vegetables are soft.

Stir in the harissa and cook for a minute to release the spices. (If your harissa is mild, add ground cumin, chilli powder, paprika or coriander to taste.) Add the bay leaves and tinned tomatoes, then fill the tomato tin with fresh water, swirl to rinse and add to the pan.

Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes, then add the vegetable stock. Bring back to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the lentils and cook for a final 10 minutes, allowing the flavours to develop. Check the seasoning and finish with salt, black pepper and a generous glug of EVOO.

Serve hot, with finely chopped herbs, a dollop of yoghurt or a heavily buttered piece of toast.

Hot tip: tinned tomatoes benefit from a longer cooking time — if you can stretch the simmer, it will only improve the flavour.

Spiced Lentil & Tomato Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 brown onion, diced

• 2 celery sticks, diced

• 2 carrots, diced

• 1 tbsp harissa

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 × 400g tin peeled plum tomatoes

• 1 vegetable stock cube, made up with 500ml water

• 1 × 540g jar cooked lentils

• Olive oil, salt and black pepper