Italian Soup with Crispy Bacon

Nutrition per serving

Calories824 kcal
Protein36.4 g
Carbs92.3 g
Fats36.3 g
Saturated Fat6.5 g
Monounsaturated Fat22.4 g
Polyunsaturated Fat4.7 g
Sugars11.9 g
Fiber17.7 g
Sodium4,060 mg

Ingredients

Onion
Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion)
Carrot
Smoked Bacon
Cherry Tomatoes
Green Beans (snap beans)
Red Split Lentils
Chicken Stock Cube
Lemon
Bread Crumbs
Focaccia
Cavolo Nero (Black Kale)
Olive Oil
Preparations
1. Preheat the oven to 180 C (355 F)

2. Peel/chop the onion into 1cm pieces.

3. Slice the carrot and leek lengthways, then finely chop widthways.

4. Slice half the bacon rasher into 1cm strips and the other half into 1cm squares.

5. Chop the tomatoes in half.

6. Top, tail the green beans and cut in half.

7. Remove the hard stems from the cavolo nero, then roughly chop.

8. Boil some water in a kettle.

Cooking Instructions
1. In a medium pot, heat ¾ tbsp of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot, leek, bacon strips and gently cook for 5 minutes until softened. (Stir a few times through cooking time).

2. Add the lentils, tomatoes, green beans, the stock pot, 100ml of boiled water with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir everything together, lower the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. To make the bacon gremolata, in a frying pan, heat ½ a tbsp of oil over medium-high heat. Add the 1cm bacon squares and fry for 2-3 minutes until golden and crispy. Add the breadcrumbs with ½ a tbsp of olive oil and stir while cooking for 20 seconds before adding ½ a tbsp of lemon juice, quickly stir and remove the pot from heat. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set aside.

4. Warm up the focaccia bread in the oven for a few minutes.

5. When the soup has simmered for 10 minutes, add the calvo nero and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes until wilted.

6. Serve the soup in a bowl with the bacon gremolata sprinkled over the top and the bread on the side.