Butternut & red lentil soup

Directions

• Step 1 Peel the butternut and remove the seeds, then, cut it in large chunks. Peel and finely chop the shallots. Use a large pan to fry the bacon strips until crispy. Place the strips on a kitchen towel to absorb the extra grease and set aside. Fry the chopped shallots in the same pan just a few minutes, add the olive oil, the butternut chunks and the turmeric. Add salt and pepper, add the chicken broth cube and add one litre of boiling water. Pour the red lentils you have previously rinsed. Lower the heat and keep cooking for 35 to 45 minutes on a light boil. The preparation will normally look like a thick stew. Let it cool down and mix in your Thermomix or a blender. Your soup will then be more or less thick. Adjust the seasoning and add water if necessary.
• Step 2 Right before serving, warm up the preparation on low heat for a few minutes. In the meantime, warm up the bacon strips too. When ready to serve, use your scissors to cut the strips into small pieces and spread over the soup in the bowls or your soup tureen. Add a little fresh thyme too. This soup can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days and all the flavours in.