Spicy Chorizo Lentil Soup

, from Issue #91. July, 2020
Photography by Olivia Galletly.
Spicy Chorizo Lentil Soup

Sweet smoked paprika, cumin and fried crispy chorizo bring this lentil soup to life. It’s lovely with a dollop of Greek yoghurt.

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

200 grams Spanish chorizo
1 tablespoon olive oil
1½ teaspoons cumin seeds
1 brown onion, diced
1 stick celery, diced
1 capsicum, diced
1 large carrot, peeled, diced
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon chilli flakes
4 cloves garlic, chopped
400-gram tin chopped tomatoes
750ml chicken stock
¼ teaspoon each sea salt and cracked pepper
400-gram tin lentils, drained
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 large bunch kale, stems discarded, leaves cut into bite-sized pieces

To serve
fresh parsley
slices of sourdough

METHOD

Dice 150 grams of the chorizo and set aside the remaining 50 grams.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan Add the diced chorizo and 1 teaspoon of the cumin seeds. Fry until the chorizo is crispy and aromatic. Remove from the saucepan and set aside.

Add the onion, celery, capsicum and carrot to the saucepan and fry over a low heat until softened. Add the paprika, chilli flakes and garlic and fry for 2 minutes. Add the fried chorizo and cumin seeds, chopped tomatoes, chicken stock, sea salt and cracked pepper. Simmer for 45 minutes with the lid partially on.

Add the lentils and brown sugar. Cook for 10 minutes then add the kale and cook for a further few minutes until the kale
has softened.

Thinly slice the remaining 50 grams of chorizo. Place in a small frypan along with the remaining cumin seeds and fry until crispy.

To serve: Divide the soup among bowls, top with the sliced chorizo and parsley and serve with slices of sourdough, if desired.