Creamy lentil soup with smoked fish

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 125 g lentils, green
• 125 g smoked fish(s), approx.
• 1 tbsp butter, alternatively some oil
• 1 small onion(s)
• 1 clove(s) garlic
• 1 small bay leaf
• 1 sprig(s) thyme or some dried
• 75 g carrot(s)
• 75 g celeriac
• 75 g leek
• 2 tsp vegetable stock powder, instant
• 50 g sour cream or crème fraîche
• some salt and pepper, freshly ground

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Rest time approx. 4 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 4 hours 50 minutes

Soak the lentils in plenty of cold water for 4 hours or overnight. Dice the onion and finely chop the garlic. Clean and peel the carrots and celeriac and cut into small cubes. Halve the leek lengthwise, rinse under running water and drain well. Then quarter lengthwise and cut crosswise into thin pieces. Drain the lentils in a sieve. In a sufficiently large saucepan, sauté the onion in butter, stir in the garlic and sauté briefly. Stir in the drained lentils and sauté briefly. Deglaze with approx. 600 ml boiling water, add the thyme and bay leaf and simmer covered over low heat for approx. 10-15 minutes until the lentils are almost tender. Fish out the bay leaf and thyme sprig, stir in the vegetables and simmer for a further 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Season generously with vegetable stock, salt, and pepper, stir in the sour cream, purée the soup, and let it simmer briefly. Add a little boiling water to taste. Season again before serving. Tear the fish into pieces. Divide the soup among bowls and arrange the fish on top. Serve hot. The ingredients are pre-weighed and prepared.