Lentil soup

Method

1. Cover the lentils in a pan with cold water and cook gently for about 25 minutes. The lentils will be half-cooked.

2. Chop all the vegetables into small pieces, including the stalks of the broccoli.

3. Add the chopped vegetables, except the onion, to the lentils. Stir, then add a little more boiled water to cover. Cover with a lid which has a vent, or tilt the lid slightly, to allow steam to escape, then turn the heat down and simmer gently for another 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender, stirring regularly.

4. Add the chicken stock cubes and season to taste. Crumble in the dried chilli if you prefer the soup to be spicier.

5. In a separate pan, saute the onion in a little olive oil. When soft, add the onions to the lentils and cook for a further 10 minutes.

6. To serve, ladle into a bowl, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of chopped parsley.