Lentil soup with croutons

Place the lentils in a bowl and pour lukewarm water over them, preferably leaving them to soak overnight.

Dice the onion, carrot and potato. Heat approx. 3 tbsp olive oil in a pan. Add the vegetables, salt and pepper and sauté for approx. 3-4 minutes. Add the cumin. Drain the lentils well and add to the pan. Fry for a further 2-3 minutes. Add 500ml boiling water and simmer over a low heat for approx. 40 minutes.

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Cut the slices of toast into very small cubes. Pour 2 tbsp olive oil into a casserole dish, add the thyme sprigs and garlic cloves (press down with the back of a knife). Add the toast cubes, sprinkle with a little salt and bake in the oven until golden brown and crispy. The croutons are ready.

Puree the soup with a hand blender and serve. Drizzle with lemon juice and scatter over the croutons, add the sprigs of thyme for decoration and sprinkle some dried mint over the soup.