The cooler months often bring with them an influx of sniffly noses and sore throats, and there’s nothing quite as soothing as a bowl of hearty soup when you’re feeling under the weather.
Warming and nourishing, soup is also a fantastic make-ahead meal, meaning that preparing a huge batch can have you sorted for plenty of lunches and dinners.
Keep the whole family warm with this hearty ham and lentil soup, complete with vegies and seasoned with bay leaves and garlic. There’s nothing quite like curling up with a big bowl of soup to warm you up on a cold night (or day). This hearty soup gets a lot of it’s flavour from a salty, smoky ham hock and it’s hearty goodness from lentils and vegetables.
If you’re more into a stew with all of the flavour you could try our lentils with ham hock. It’s cooked in your pressure cooker to give all the tenderness and flavout of slow cooking butwithout the extended time.
1.Heat oil in a large saucepan; cook onion, carrot and celery, stirring, 5 minutes, or until softened.
2.Add remaining ingredients, except parsley; bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 60 minutes, or until lentils and vegetables are tender.
3.Remove ham hock. Discard skin and slice meat. Remove and discard bay leaves.
4.Blend or process half the soup, in batches, until smooth. Return soup to pan with meat. Season to taste with salt and pepper; stir over a medium heat until hot.
