Begin by caramelizing the diced onion. This brings out the natural sweetness in the onion, and it is a process that takes about 25-30 minutes. Caramelized onions are a staple that can be added to enhance the flavour of many dishes. If you have never tried to make them before, patience is the key. They need to cook slowly over low heat and they need a bit of attention while they are cooking.

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In a large heavy Dutch Oven or saucepan, add the oil and the onions. Turn the heat to medium, and stir to coat the onions with the oil. Once you see that there is a tiny bit of browning on the bottom of the onions, turn the heat to medium low and continue to cook for about 25 minutes, stirring every 4 or 5 minutes. You will notice the colour of the onions will slowly change from white to a deep golden brown, and they will look translucent. If you see that the edges are browning, turn the heat down a bit and continue to stir. The onions are done when the colour is even, and the oil has been absorbed. It will look dry on the bottom of the pan.

Remove the seasoning packet from the soup mix and sprinkle it over the onions. Stir it into the onions and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. This will enhance the spice flavour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pour in the remainder of the soup mix, along with 8 cups of water for a thick hearty soup, or 10 cups of water for a creamy soup. Stir well. Cover the pot, and bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat. Stir again, replace cover, and turn the heat to low. Allow it to simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring after 15 minutes. If the water has all been absorbed into the lentils, add an additional cup of water to cover them. When the cooking time is complete, the lentils should be tender. Add the canned tomatoes, cover and continue to cook over low heat another 5 minutes. Add 1/2 of the can of pumpkin (about 2 cups of puree), and the diced apple if using. Stir well, cover and cook an additional ten minutes.

At this point, you may leave the soup as is, or puree it by using an immersion blender or processing it in a blender or food processor in small batches. Be careful, it is hot! Return to the soup pot. If you want a creamy soup, stir in yogourt or cream or non-dairy milk. To prevent curdling when adding the cold ingredients to the hot soup, temper it by placing in a bowl and adding hot soup to it 1/4 cup at a time, stirring well, until you have added 1 cup of soup. Then add that back into the soup and stir well.

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Serve immediately. Any leftover soup will keep well frozen, or can be refrigerated up to four days.