Lemony lentil soup with soft carrots

Rinse the lentils well under cool water and pick out any small stones or broken pieces.

Peel and chop the carrot into soft rounds, about half a centimeter thick — they will cook down and become tender.

Peel the potato and cut into small cubes, about a centimeter square.

Peel and finely dice the onion. Crush the garlic with the flat of your knife.

Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over gentle heat. Add the diced onion and cook slowly for five minutes until soft and translucent.

Add the crushed garlic and stir for one minute more, until fragrant but not brown.

Add the cumin and black pepper, stir briefly to bloom the spices.

Pour in the two cups of water and add the lentils, potato cubes, and carrot rounds. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Cook uncovered on low heat for twenty-five to thirty minutes, until the lentils are soft and the carrots melt easily when pressed with a spoon. Skim any foam that rises in the first few minutes.

Remove from heat. Cut the half lemon in two and squeeze in the juice from both pieces, tasting as you go — you may want just half for a gentler brightness, or all of it for more lift.

Season with salt to taste.

Let the soup sit for two minutes, then ladle into your favorite bowl. A small drizzle of olive oil across the top is welcome, and a few leaves of parsley if you have them.