Smoky Bacon, Tomato and Lentil Soup. With Chili and Cumin.

Did anyone else laugh out loud when watching Nigella Express a few years ago?  Nigella claimed to take a flask of pea and pesto soup out with her to deal with any pangs of hunger - there was a classic scene of her sitting on a London bus supping away at her homemade creation.

Anyway...I had to eat my chuckles this weekend.  I made such a delicious soup on Friday and then took the leftovers out with us on Sunday.  Taking soup as a packed lunch isn't too radical I agree, except when you do a Nigella and eat it in a ridiculous place.  For us it was in a lecture hall as we were about to watch a shark dissection....And most ridiculous of all, as I've already taken our enamel bowls back to the UK, we ate it out of two china bowls with proper spoons.  I think the audience members thought we were potty.  But the fact that confused glances didn't deter us from munching away is surely a testament to how very delicious the soup is!  And best of all it is a store-cupboard soup requiring minimal fuss.  I couldn't recommend it more.

Ingredients (serves 4)

280 g black lentils, rinsed well
220 g smoked free-range back bacon
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp vegetable stock powder
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tin of water
70 g tomato puree
1 bay leaf
1 stick of cinnamon
1 tbsp honey
4 heaped tsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
salt and black pepper

Method

1. Pop the lentils into a saucepan and cover with about double the volume of water.  Add the stock powder, bring to the boil and allow to simmer, with the lid on, for 20-30 minutes, or until just tender.
2. When the lentils are done add the tin of tomatoes, then fill the tin with water and add as well.  Stir in the puree, bay leaf, cinnamon and honey.

3. Heat the oil in a frying pan.  Remove all the fat from the bacon and cut into small strips.  Fry the bacon in the oil, towards the end of cooking add the cumin, paprika and chili powder and cook for 30 second.  Scrape the lot into the lentil mixture.
4. Bring to a gentle simmer, season well and then serve.

So easy and so delicious.