Isle of Wight Tomato and Red Lentil Soup

• 1 white onion, finely chopped
• 2-3 stalks of celery finely sliced
• 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• Olive oil, 1 tbsp
• 800g of medium to large sized Isle of Wight Tomatoes, roughly chopped
• Vegetable stock, 1.5 litres
• Red lentils, 300g
• Smoked paprika, 1-2tsp, depending on preference
• Salt & Pepper
• Optional: chilli flakes

Fry the onion, celery and carrot in the oil and butter in a large saucepan until softened.

Add the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil

Turn the heat down and simmer for 30 minutes until the lentils are soft and cooked through

Serve the soup chunky or liquidise until smooth.

Optional: top with a sprinkling of chilli flakes