Lentil soup

This is basically a rip-off of Heinz vegetable and lentil soup but also a cunning way of using all the lonely stray veg up in the bottom of the fridge. Goes nice with a cheese sandwich.

5-6 tomatoes, or if you've got none to use up just use a tin of chopped toms and leave out the puree
one heart of celery
an onion
grated carrot (as much as you like, probably 1 or 2)
a yellow pepper
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed up small (1cm)
1 tablespoon of tomato puree (if using up fresh tomatoes)
garlic
salt and pepper
and then however many lentils and chicken stock you want.

So, just saute off the veg with the garlic and a generous sprinkle of salt (and an even more generous one of pepper). When they've softened a bit, add in however many lentils you think you'd like and then - the most important bit of measuring here - barely cover them with chicken stock. The rule is 1 chicken stock cube to approximately 300ml, so if you use a pint you'll need more like two. Don't ever use more than two though or it'll taste like a Pot Noodle.

After that just bring it up to the boil, stick the lid on and reduce to a slow simmer. You do need to keep stirring this one because the buggering lentils stick.