Need some warming up?

Soups and stews are the perfect warmers for the cold days we are experiencing at the moment. Here is a seasonal winter recipe from British chef Nigel Slater that combines the best of both! Enjoy steaming hot, with candles, watching the snow fall outside. Ahhhh.....


LENTIL AND PUMPKIN SOUP-STEW

Serves 4-6

medium-sized onion 1
rapeseed or olive oil (or a thick slice of butter) 2 tbsp
large carrot 1
cloves of garlic 2
rosemary a bushy sprig
small green lentils, such as Le Puy 250g
vegetable stock 1.25 litres
bay leaves 2
pumpkin or butternut 1.5kg (weight before peeling)
red-wine vinegar 2 tbsp
roughly chopped parsley a handful

To finish: crème fraîche or 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Peel the onion, cut it in half from root to tip then into thick slices. Warm the oil or butter in a large casserole then add the onion and cook over a low to moderate heat for 15 minutes or so, until soft and pale gold. Meanwhile scrub and dice the carrot and stir into the onion.

Peel the garlic and slice thinly. Pull the leaves from the rosemary stems and roughly chop, then add to the softening onions with sliced garlic. When all is soft, sweet and lightly coloured, tip in the lentils and a litre of the stock. Drop in the bay leaves. Bring the mixture to the boil, then lower the heat so that the lentils simmer gently for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel and seed the pumpkin and cut the flesh into large, meaty chunks. I make these large enough that you will have to cut them to put them in your mouth. Any smaller and you may find they dissolve into the soup.

Add the pumpkin to the lentils and leave to simmer until the squash is thoroughly tender – about 15 minutes. This is also the point to add seasoning. It will need salt and black pepper, and the red-wine vinegar. Stir in the parsley.

Remove two large ladles of the stew and blitz to a purée in a blender or food processor with the remaining 250ml of stock. (You can beat it to a pulp with a potato masher if you prefer.) Return the puréed mixture to the pan and stir gently.

To serve, pile into wide bowls or deep plates. Drop a heaped tbsp of crème fraîche or labne on to each portion of stew, then pour a little extra-virgin olive oil over the top.

The dish will keep for a day or two in the fridge. Reheat gently, adding a little more stock if necessary.

More of Nigels's glorious recipes at: http://www.nigelslater.com/