HEARTY BROWN LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse the lentils and put them in a large pot with 10 cups water and 2½ tsp salt. (I added the salt towards the end of the cooking period as salt added at the start of cooking can make the lentils hard.
• Finely dice the carrots, celery and potatoes and add them to the pot, along with the bay leaf and thyme.
• Bring the water to the boil, lower heat and simmer soup, loosely covered for about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile chop the onion medium fine and saute it in 2 tblsps olive oil, stirring often over a medium heat until it softens. Add the chopped garlic and keep cooking and stirring until the onion begins to colour, about 10 minutes. Add the onion and garlic to the soup as it simmers.
• Lightly toast the cumin seeds in a small pan, stirring constantly for a few minutes until they are fragrant. Grind the cumin in a mortar or spice grinder and add it to the soup, along with 1 tblsp lemon juice and plenty of black pepper.
• Add the vegetable broth and the fresh herbs, bring the soup back to a simmer and taste. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Stir in another 2 tblsps olive oil.
• When serving add a thin drizzle of olive oil on top of each bowl, or put a tsp of mild salsa on top of each serving.