Skull Soup
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 55 minutes
Serves: 8 people
- 2 carrots
-
Oil for frying
-
1 onion, peeled and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
- 400g/14ozs. potatoes (2 large), diced into small cubes
- 400g/14oz tin diced tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cups/1 litre/2.1pint vegetable stock
- 1 red chilli (small or large, depending on your heat tolerance)
- 140g/5ozs. dried red lentils, rinsed
- 3 zucchinis, diced
- 150g/5ozs mushrooms
Step 1 - I prep the carrots first as they take a bit longer. Peel carrots and then slice into coins. With a small, sharp knife carve out a pumpkin shape (see tips above). Set aside. Then heat a large pot on medium heat and add some oil and fry onions and garlic until softened. Add the potatoes, tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable stock and chilli and bring to a simmer. Add the carrot "pumpkins" and simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 2 - While it is simmering I make the mushroom skulls. Take each mushroom and cut in half and then use a straw to poke two holes in the side of each mushroom half (you may need to use a sharp knife to remove the little bits of mushrooms as you want the eyes to be hollow and dark). Use a knife to make teeth under the eyes. Set aside.
Step 3 - After simmering for 20 minutes add the red lentils and zucchini and simmer for another 20 minutes until zucchini and red lentils are cooked. Add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve skull side up!