Hearty Winter Soup

Ingredients:

3 Lamb shanks
2 1/2 l Water (10 cups)
1 Onion, chopped
1 Celery stick, chopped
1/2 c Brown lentils
4 Carrots, chopped
2 Potatoes, chopped
1 Small turnip, chopped
1/4 Cabbage, small shredded
2 Bacon rashers, chopped
1 Onion, chopped, extra
1 Celery stick, chopped, extra
2 Beef stock cubes
2 tb Parsely, chopped
1 Red capsicum, chopped

Method:

Combine lamb shanks, water, onion and celery in a large waucepan, bring to the boil, reduce heat, simmer, covered for 1 1/2 hours, cool, refrigerate overnight.
Cover lentils with water, soak overnight.
Next day, strain stock, discard fat and vegetables.
Return stock to saucepan with drained lentils and chopped meat from shanks.
Bring to the boil, add carrots, potatoes, turnip and cabbage.
Cook bacon, extra onion and celery in frying pan until onion is soft; add to soup with crumbled stock cubes.
Simmer covered for 1 hour.
Add parsely and capsicum just before serving.
NOTES: Cook the stock for the soup a couple of days before required, add most of the vegetables on the day of serving.
Stir capsicum and parsely in as you serve the soup.
Make a complete meal by serving with hot crusty bread Recipe unsuitable to freeze or microwave.