Recipe: Spicy Tomato and Lentil Soup with Sour Cream and Chive Dip

Each week he provides a tasty starter, main course or dessert.

So get cooking and if you are particularly pleased with what you produce send a photograph of your dish to features@theboltonnews.co.uk.

IT’S been a while since we did a soup so as a follow on from the mushroom and pasta recipe a few weeks ago I want to show you that dips are not just for dipping vegetables and nachos but can be used in cooking as well.

Last time I used a garlic and onion dip, but this time I have chosen a cream cheese and chive dip as a garnish.

There are quite a few ingredients in this soup but most are things you will find in your kitchen cupboards, so you should not have a lot of shopping to do.

Speaking of shopping by the time you read this we should not be too far away from the opening of our exciting new fine food store/deli at Doffcocker, which we have called Zest.

Watch this space.

Spicy Tomato and Lentil Soup with Sour Cream and Chive Dip

Preparation:

5 mins

Cook:30-40mins, Serves four to six

Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, chopped 1 red pepper, chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed 15ml/1tbsp ground paprika 5ml/1tsp crushed chilli flakes 175g/6oz red lentils 1 (800g) can chopped tomatoes 1.15lt/2pts vegetable or chicken stock 30ml/2tbsp chopped fresh coriander salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 (200g) pot of fresh sour cream and chive dip crusty bread to serve.

Method: Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion and pepper and cook over a gentle heat for six to eight minutes or until pale golden.

Add the garlic, paprika and chilli and stir for 30 seconds.

Stir in the lentils, tomatoes and stock.

Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the lentils are really tender and beginning to break up. Add the coriander and adjust the seasoning to taste.

Blend the soup in a food processor or with a hand held blender until just smooth.

Serve ladled into bowls topped with a dollop of sour cream and chive dip.