Lentil soup with beef and prunes

If the flavours of a soup are well balanced, they will dance in your mouth. The combination of the sweet prunes and pumpkin, the earthly taste of the lentils and the savoury minced beef form a sensational harmonic taste experience.

Serves 4 people

• 50 ml olive oil
• 250 g minced beef
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 200 ml red wine
• 100 ml sherry
• 125 g dried, pitted prunes, coarsely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tsp. thyme
• ⅛ tsp. black pepper
• 3 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1,5 l water
• 250 g lentils du Puy
• ½ small hokkaido pumpkin, diced
• fresh ground pepper
• 1½ tsp. sea salt
• —
• basil

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and fry the minced beef with a pinch of sea salt until brown and loose. Add the onion and garlic, fry until the vegetables are shiny and add a dash of the red wine and sherry. Then add the prunes, bay leaves, thyme, black pepper and tomato paste and bring to a boil. Add the lentils and cook for about 45 minutes on low heat until done. Add the pumpkins and cook for about 10-15 minutes on low heat until done. If the soup becomes too thick, add more water. Season the soup with black pepper and sea salt. Serve the soup with basil.