Mushroom, Lentil and Carrot Soup

This soup recipe comes from my first vegetarian cookbook, which I bought when I was still eating meat but wanted to cut down my intake. It has been many years but I still come back to this recipe time and time again. The reason? One word describes this soup: tasty. The addition of red wine and soy sauce gives it a really rich, savoury flavour. An absolute must to get you through the winter!

Serves 2 (generous servings, 3 stingy)

Ingredients:

1 onion
3 cloves garlic
1 chilli / chilli flakes to taste (optional)
3 medium sized carrots
1/2 tsp celery salt (or 1 stick celery)
250 mushrooms (I used chestnut but any will do)
50ml (2 fl oz) red wine
150g lentils (brown, dark green, or puy)
1 litre (1 3/4 pints) vegetable stock
2 tbsp soy sauce
salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Chop onions, chilli (if using), celery (if using), crush garlic, and fry in oil until softened.

2. Meanwhile, slice mushrooms and peel and slice carrots.

3. Add to the pan along with celery salt and chilli flakes (if using either) and fry until mushrooms have softened.

4. Add the wine and turn up the heat. Cook until the liquid has reduced.

5. Add the lentils and stir in. Add the stock, and bring to the boil. Simmer for 45 minutes or so with the lid on, until the lentils have softened, stirring occasionally.

6. Towards the end of cooking, add the soy sauce and stir in.

7. Season as desired and serve.