Name: Lentil, fennel and parmesan “stoup” with charred tomato salsa
Ingredients: 80ml olive oil; 1 large onion (190g), chopped in about 1 cm pieces; 1 large fennel bulb (280g), trimmed and chopped into 1 cm dice; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 1 tsp fennel seeds; 5 sprigs oregano; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock; 300g puy lentils, washed under plenty of cold water; 20g grated parmesan, plus extra for serving; ½ tsp chilli flakes; 360g datterini tomatoes; 90ml olive oil; 6 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed in a pestle and mortar; 10g picked oregano, plus 5g extra; fine sea salt and black pepper

Soup Winter

Serves 4-6

Prep 20 min

Cook 50 min

This is the lentil stoup (or perhaps it’s a stew?) I’ll be making again and again this winter - and not just because it keeps so well for batch cooking. Sweet fennel and nutty parmesan make the lentils feel even more comforting, and if you have a couple of parmesan rinds lying around, swap them in for the 20g piece for extra flavour. Serve it as is, or with chunks of rustic bread for dunking- either way, it’s nourishing, hearty, and super satisfying.

Ingredients

80ml	olive oil
1	large onion (190g), chopped in about 1 cm pieces
1	large fennel bulb (280g), trimmed and chopped into 1 cm dice
4	garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp	fennel seeds
5	sprigs oregano
2 tbsp	tomato paste
1 litre	chicken or vegetable stock
300g	puy lentils, washed under plenty of cold water
20g	grated parmesan, plus extra for serving
½ tsp	chilli flakes
TOMATO SALSA
360g	datterini tomatoes
90ml	olive oil
6	garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp	fennel seeds, lightly crushed in a pestle and mortar
10g	picked oregano, plus 5g extra
	fine sea salt and black pepper

Method

Place the first 6 ingredients in a large saucepan on high heat and cook, stirring frequently, for 15-20 minutes, until the onion and fennel have softened and are slightly caramelised.
Stir in the tomato paste, cook for 2 more minutes then add in the stock, lentils, 20g of parmesan, chilli flakes, 1 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Cover with a lid, bring to a boil on high heat and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened but still slightly brothy. Carefully pick out and discard the oregano stems.
Meanwhile make the tomato salsa. Heat a frying pan on high heat and once smoking, add in the tomatoes, charring for 5-7 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally until softened and nicely charred in places. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes, chop finely (discarding any large pieces of skin) and add to a bowl. Wipe the pan clean, return to medium heat with the oil and garlic, fennel seeds and oregano leaves. Cook for 1 minute until soft and fragrant, then stir in the tomatoes and ½ teaspoon of salt.
Serve the stoup in bowls with a spoonful of tomato salsa, the extra oregano scatter on top and some parmesan grated on top.