Lentil and vegetable soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) brown or green lentils, rinsed
• 1 can (14.5 oz / 400 g) diced tomatoes, with their juice
• 6 cups (1.4 L) vegetable broth or water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt, less if your broth is salted
• 4 cups (about 4 oz / 120 g) baby spinach or chopped kale
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

Method

1. Warm the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery with a pinch of the salt and cook, stirring now and then, for 8 to 10 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
2. Stir in the garlic, cumin, turmeric and paprika and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
3. Add the lentils, tomatoes, broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer, partly covered, for 25 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape.
4. Remove the bay leaf. For a thicker soup, blend a cup or two and stir it back in, or press some of the lentils against the side of the pot with a spoon.
5. Stir in the greens and let them wilt for 2 minutes.
6. Turn off the heat, add the lemon juice, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper. It will likely want more salt than you expect, and the lemon should be noticeable without turning the soup sour.