Name: Witches’ Kneecap Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 400g beef mince; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 2 carrots; 150g chestnut mushrooms; 2 tbsp tomato purée; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp dried thyme; ½ tsp ground black pepper; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 beef stock cube; 800ml boiling water; 400g tin chopped tomatoes; 100g black or green lentils, rinsed; Salt, to taste; 500g ready-made potato gnocchi; 15g butter; ½ tsp garlic granules; 2 tbsp grated Parmesan, optional

Method

20 mins prep40 mins cook60 mins total

Cut the carrots into thick rounds and carefully carve small V-shaped notches into opposite sides. Halve the mushrooms and cut small eyes and noses into some of them.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the beef mince and cook for 5–6 minutes, breaking it apart, until browned.
Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato purée, paprika, thyme and pepper for 1 minute.
Add the Worcestershire sauce, stock, tomatoes and lentils. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for about 25 minutes with the carrots and mushrooms until tender.
Meanwhile, cook the gnocchi according to the packet instructions and drain well. Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the gnocchi and garlic granules, and fry for 4–5 minutes until golden. Toss with Parmesan if using.
Season the soup, ladle into bowls and scatter over the golden gnocchi.