Serves 4

The apples in this recipe (by Melanie Booth for Jazz apples) add a sweet touch to protein-rich bulgur wheat and lentils for a delicious finish. Crunchy, seasoned croutons on top work perfectly with the chunkiness of the soup.

Ingredients

For the croutons:

5 thick slices of bread, diced (you can use stale bread if you want)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp herbs du provence
¼ tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper

For the soup:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large white onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp cumin
1 large handful fresh mint, finely chopped
240g red lentils
120g bulgur wheat
4 apples, cored, peeled and diced
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1.8 litres of vegetable stock
Juice of ½ a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (fan oven).

2. On a baking tray, add all the crouton ingredients toss to coat and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Set aside.

3. Meanwhile, sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil for five minutes.

4. Add the cumin and fry for a further two minutes.

5. Add all the other ingredients (except croutons and parsley) and bring to a boil.

6. Lower the heat and simmer on a medium heat for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. Blend the soup partially (you want it thick and mostly smooth, but still with a few chunks remaining in it).

8. Season it to taste before garnishing with the spiced croutons and freshly chopped parsley.

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