The Bear and I live on the top of a hill, which is, itself, at the top of a series of hills. We look down on the city below us and the view is always fantastic. We have a park at the side of the gardens and it is always a good place to walk around.
In the autumn we go blackberrying and in the summer it’s a beautiful place to sit in the sun.
In the winter?
Incredibly beautiful, isn’t it?
You wouldn’t think we were just a mile or so from the city centre.
Being so high up means the snow is thicker up here and it stays longer. It also means that when I finish work, I try and go straight home to avoid getting caught up in any bad weather. And THAT means I haven’t been going to the supermarket.
I haven’t even walked to our nearest shops, because that means a walk involving coming down from where we live… down these steps
So I need to cook from what we already have.
I always keep the store cupboard filled with things that will last and tonight I started to think about soup.
There’s always a large jar of red lentils .. so they would go in… as would that lovely big onion.
In the fridge I found some pieces of chorizo
and in the cupboard a tin of sweet smoked paprika.
Right then… I was off. Onions chopped and sauteing gently in a dessertspoon of oil, with a teaspoon of paprika
Then, time to add the red lentils. They are not only tasty, they are packed full of protein.
Four scoops… that’s about 300g.
Two pints of water and stir it all round. That needs to bubble away but it really doesn’t take long for the lentils to cook. Add a stock cube or some stock granules for flavour… this is going to be the quickest and tastiest soup you have ever made.
I have some dried Kashmiri chillies so one of them goes in… they are quite sweet and mild in comparison to other chillies. If you are cooking for children, then you could, if they don’t like chillies, just miss that out.
Remember that chorizo? Cut slices off each of the pieces and dry fry them over a gentle heat.
This lets the oil seep out gently, which you dress the soup with later, so whatever you do, don’t just throw it out.
See this? This is the secret that turns this tasty soup into a deliciously rich bowlful.
We are cutting our calories and that means cutting fat. But look at the label – it is skimmed milk. No fat in there, or at least none to speak of.
You have enough liquid in there so adding milk powder adds to the taste, without diluting the taste or the consistency. The milk makes it taste rich and creamy.
Two big scoops of Marvel and then take out the dried (but now beautifully soft) chilli… and then whizz the soup to a silky smoothness. Taste it and adjust the seasoning… maybe a pinch of salt and a grinding of black pepper?
Into the soup with the chorizo (chop the big pieces) and stir it round… pour over the glossy red oil
And there you have it.
Red lentil and chorizo soup – about two pints of spicy loveliness. Packed full of protein and very little fat.
And the cost is minimal ….. both in pennies and calories….. there’s under 300 calories a serving in there.
All made from store cupboard ingredients and bits from the fridge. I feel so very virtuous… and also full and warmed through.
EDIT FROM MY DESK :
Lovely chunks of chorizo, smooth and creamy soup….
Life is good.
(Oh and the snow photos were taken by The Bear. He’s good, isn’t he?)