BUTTERNUT SQUASH, BACON AND LENTIL SOUP

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, BACON AND LENTIL SOUP image

Yield 6 Bowls

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 - 3 slices bacon roughly chopped (whatever you've got - ham is fine)
1 butternut squash (peeled and chopped into approx 1 inch pieces)
1 - 2 sticks celery, washed & roughly chopped
1 - 2 leeks washed & chopped
1 - 2 medium carrots washed & chopped
Butter - depending on how healthy you've decided to be!
1.5 - 2 litres of stock - it has to be Bouillon
A dash of milk (maybe a quarter pint)
A couple of good tablespoons of dried red lentils (I use these because you don't have to soak them overnight). Puy lentils would be fine too.
Maldon salt & freshly milled black pepper
Cream & parsley to finish (optional)

Steps:

Everything is roughly chopped as you will blend it at the end anyway. Fry the bacon in the butter (a good egg size lump for me!) on a low to medium heat just to colour it (not crisp it). 5 minutes later add the pieces of butternut squash, celery, leeks, and carrot and sweat off for 5 - 10 mins on a low heat. Don't colour the vegetables - you're just trying to soften them. Add the stock (use your imagination on how thick you like your soup but I'd have thought about 1.5 - 2 litres would be good). Stir and let simmer for at least half an hour. Add your lentils and simmer for at least another half hour. If you leave the lid off the soup will become more concentrated. After an hour I normally add some milk - about a quarter pint and just let simmer on a low heat for another 15 minutes. Add some salt & pepper (to your taste). Once cooked, let cool for 10 minutes and then whizz with a hand blender. Once cool, I add some flat leaved parsley and (if not freezing) a swirl of cream. This freezes fabulously and is great for a lunch at work with some fresh crusty bread.