Green lentil soup with pumpkin and harissa
Soup / Winter / Brigitte Hafner / Serves: 6

80 ml (1/3 cup) olive oil
30 gm butter, coarsely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 small carrots, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
500 gm small green lentils
500 gm Jap pumpkin, cut into small wedges
400 gm canned chopped Italian tomatoes
1 preserved lemon, rinsed, flesh discarded, rind thinly sliced
25 gm harissa, or to taste

To serve: thick plain yoghurt and coarsely torn coriander

Notes

Replace the preserved lemon with the juice & zest of 1 lemon.

Heat olive oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until foaming, add onion and stir occasionally until soft and golden (8-10 minutes).
Add carrot, celery and garlic, stir occasionally until soft and golden (8-10 minutes).
Add lentils and 2 litres water, cook for 20 minutes, then add pumpkin and tomato, season to taste and cook until lentils and pumpkin are very tender (20-30 minutes).
Add preserved lemon and harissa to taste, cook for another 10 minutes.
Serve immediately with yoghurt and coriander.