MELBOURNE WINTER FOOD

After a few days of Spring-like weather last week, Winter is back in Melbourne… So once again, we’ve moved back into the house and consume meals that are warming, hearty and flavoursome. And of course soups head the list, especially the ones that are a complete meal in the themselves, not just a first course. We enjoy this vegetarian soup often in Winter and tonight it will be just right!

Lentil and Winter Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

1 litre (4 cups) vegetable stock

2 tbsp olive oil

2 red onions, finely chopped

3 celery sticks, trimmed, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

300g carrots, peeled, cut into 1cm pieces

200g turnips, peeled, cut into 1cm pieces

400g boiled lentils, rinsed, drained

100g can peeled tomatoes

2 tsp dried mustard

1/2 tsp ground mace

1 tsp curry powder

2 bay leaves

Chopped parboiled spinach, to serve

Method

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion, celery, and garlic, stirring, for 6 minutes or until soft. Add the carrots and turnips. Cook, stirring, for 4-5 minutes.

Add the stock, increase heat to medium-high and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, partially covered, for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add the lentils and simmer for 10 minutes or until all vegetables are cooked and tender.

Divide the soup into serving bowls and top with parboiled spinach.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme,

and also part of the My Sunday Photo meme,

and also part of the Photo Sunday meme,

and also part of the Food Friday meme.