SEED BREAD AND RED LENTIL SOUP
In the midst of all the Christmas chaos, making and eating this gives you a moment of calm and comfort. It is nutritious, vegetarian and tasty.
Serves four as a starter, two as a main meal
Ingredients: Seed Bread
- 500g strong white bread flour, plus a little more for kneading
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 7g sachet easy bake yeast
- 300ml warm tap water
- Roughly 20g each of chia seeds, linseed and pumpkin seed (mix and match with others, according to your own taste)
- 2 tsp salt
Ingredients: Red Lentil Soup
- 200g dried red lentils, rinsed really well in warm water
- 1 medium onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 large carrot
- 750ml vegetable stock
- 1 heaped tsp sea salt and a good grind of black pepper
How to:
- Put the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl and add around 200ml of the warm water, mixing with your hand. Add the olive oil and bring it all together. Add the seeds and with your hands. At this stage you may need a bit more of the warm water.
- Take your scruffy ball of dough and knead on your work bench for a good 10 minutes, sprinkling with flour if necessary. You will suddenly feel the texture turn from scraggy to smooth and soft. Grease your mixing bowl with a little more olive oil, place your dough ball in, cover with cling film and leave somewhere warm for a couple of hours. It should double in size.
- Take the dough out of the bowl and punch it down. Knead it for a minute or so and then form into a ball and place on a baking sheet, covered with a tea towel for about 30 minutes. It should once again, double in size. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C/ gas mark 7.
- Bake the bread for about 35 minutes. You know it is cooked if you tap the bottom and it sounds hollow. Allow it to cool.
- Soften finely chopped onions and garlic in olive oil on a low heat and after about 5-6 minutes add the finely chopped carrot. After another 4-5 minutes and add the salt, pepper and well-rinsed lentils. Coat in the oil and add the stock. Bring to the boil, give a good stir and then reduce to a simmer for about 35-40 minutes. Depending on how thick you like your soup, you may need to add a little more water.
- Spoon in to bowls, slice your bread and dig in to a meal that will make you feel cuddled.
ALISON POWELL