If in a hurry don’t peel the tomatoes. As an alternative use tinned tomatoes and add the grated peel and juice of half a small orange.
The pottage should be served hot, straightaway; it’s not a soup that keeps.
- 450g lentils (don’t bother to soak them overnight)
- 2.5 litres salted water
- 225g peeled and sliced onions
- 900g tomatoes, peeled and chopped
- A sprinkle of fresh thyme and parsley
- 75g butter
- 25g grated cheese
- Boil the lentils according to the packet directions (which can be anything from half an hour to two hours) until they are soft but not mushy.
- Add the onions, tomatoes and herbs.
- Boil for a further 10 minutes. Do not strain.
- Add the butter and cheese to melt just before serving.