Name: Carrot & harissa soup with feta toasties
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil plus a drizzle; 2 onions sliced; 4 garlic cloves crushed, or 2 tsp garlic purée; thumb-sized piece of ginger peeled and finely chopped, or 2 tsp ginger purée; 2 tsp ground cumin; 2 tsp ground coriander; 2 tsp smoked paprika; pinch of chilli flakes; 500g carrots coarsely grated; 150g split red lentils; handful of coriander leaves picked, stalks roughly chopped; 1½ litres vegetable or chicken stock; 100ml cream (dairy or plant-based), plus a drizzle to serve; 1-2 tbsp harissa plus extra to serve; 250g feta; drizzle of honey plus extra to serve; 6 slices of white bread; knob of butter; 3 tbsp sesame seeds

Two bowls of carrot & harissa soup with feta toasties

2 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil
plus a drizzle
2 onions
sliced
4 garlic cloves
crushed, or 2 tsp garlic purée
thumb-sized piece of ginger
peeled and finely chopped, or 2 tsp ginger purée
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp smoked paprika
pinch of chilli flakes
500g carrots
coarsely grated
150g split red lentils
handful of coriander
leaves picked, stalks roughly chopped
1½ litres vegetable or chicken stock
100ml cream
(dairy or plant-based), plus a drizzle to serve
1-2 tbsp harissa
plus extra to serve

For the toasties

250g feta
drizzle of honey
plus extra to serve
6 slices of white bread
knob of butter
3 tbsp sesame seeds

Method

step 1
Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and cook the onions for 8-10 mins until starting to soften and caramelise. Stir in the garlic, ginger and spices, and sizzle for 1-2 mins more.
step 2
Add the carrots, lentils, coriander stalks and stock, along with some seasoning. Bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce the heat to a simmer and bubble for 20 mins.
step 3
Pour in the cream and stir in the harissa, adding an extra spoonful if you like it spicy. Blitz the soup using a hand blender until smooth, then taste for seasoning. Once completely cool, the soup will keep frozen for up to three months. Defrost completely in the fridge, then reheat in a pan until piping hot.
step 4
For the toasties, crumble the feta in a bowl and lightly mash along with a drizzle of honey using a fork. Divide the feta between 3 slices of bread, then sandwich with the remaining slices. Generously butter the outside of each sandwich. Tip the sesame seeds onto a plate and press the buttered sides of the sandwiches into the seeds to fully coat. Heat a frying pan or griddle pan over a medium heat and fry the toasties for 2-3 mins on each side until the bread is golden brown and the feta, gooey. Drizzle with a little extra honey, if you like.
step 5
Stir together a drizzle of oil and a spoonful of harissa. Ladle the soup into deep bowls and top with a drizzle of cream, the harissa oil, coriander leaves and a grinding of black pepper. Serve with the feta toasties for dunking.