Puy Lentil Soup with Parmesan Toasts

I will admit it, I love winter. I am much happier layering up with clothing with the heater going. I also love winter food. All the stews, casseroles, pies and soups. All the lovely winter produce that is available. Such warming and hearty food. I had been looking forward to winter getting here so that I could make this fabulous looking soup recipe. The picture in Sydney Food just looked so warming and delicious. 

Now, this soup was a bit of a conundrum for me. It has all the right things in it to make it full of flavour but tasting it during cooking I was less than impressed. It seemed quite bland to me. I decided not to wait and see and added some extra chilli, a couple of tablespoons of tomato pesto and some dried Italian mixed herbs. I was very pleased with it after those additions and some further cooking. I made the parmesan toasts my way rather than Bill's (mine is easier). 

Puy Lentil Soup with Parmesan Toasts 

Ingredients: 

• 2 tbspn olive oil
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped Spanish onions
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 small red chilli, finely chopped (original recipe had one)
• 2 x 400 g tin chopped Italian tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato pesto (my addition)
• 2 litre vegetable stock, or water
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 tbspn chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tbsp dried Italian mixed herbs (Masterfoods brand) (my addition)
• 1 cup lentils du Puy
• 1 tspn salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Method: 

• Heat oil over medium heat. 
• Add carrots, onions and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add celery, garlic and chilli and cook for a further 5 minutes. 
• Add chopped tomatoes, pesto, stock, bay leaves, herbs and lentils and bring to the boil. 
• Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper. 

Parmesan Toasts (my way) 

sliced bread (I like pasta dura but anything will do really)
Butter one side and toast under a grill. 

Turn over and top with piles of finely grated parmesan and then back under the grill until melted and browned.