I always freeze my bones after a roast so i can turn them into a rich, nutritious stock which i then use for the base of my soups.

I have used lamb bones in this soup but if you had roast chicken carcass, beef bones or even pork then the same method applies.  You will just have a different base flavour to your soup.

Preparation - 30 minutes

Cooking - 3 hours 

Df 

Skill - easy

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Stock 

1 -2 kg bones (from roast meats)

1 onion, peeled and cut in half

2 carrots, cut in half

½ leek, cut in half

2 sticks celery, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic

1 star anise (optional)

2 bay leaves

6 black peppercorns

4 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary

Handful parsley stalks

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (optional)

Cold water

Soup

3 litres stock

1 onion, diced

½ leek, diced

3 carrots, peeled and diced

2 sticks celery, diced

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

½ cup lentils or barley

200g greens, silverbeet, kale, roughly sliced

Handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Salt and cracked pepper

Method

Begin by making the stock.  This procedure takes a good couple of hours as the idea is to extract flavour and nutrients out of the bones

Place all the ingredients for the stock into a large deep sided pot, cover generously (4 litres) with cold water.  Bring to the boil, removing any scum from the surface.  Reduce the temperature to a gentle simmer and cook for 2 hours.

Drain the stock through a sieve making sure you keep the liquid and discarding the vegetables.  If you have any meat stuck to the bones i like to pick it off and add it to the soup later.

Pour the stock back into a large clean pot.

Add the diced vegetables and cook for 30 minutes.

Add the lentils and cook for a further 15 minutes.  

Add the potatoes and season with salt and pepper.  Continue cooking over a moderate heat until tender.

Add the greens and cook for a further 10 minutes.

Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.

Enjoy.  This soup will last for 3 days in your fridge and can be frozen for up to a month.