.
As you can see he's already marked a few recipes to try. He's mentioned the cover recipe Bacon & Lentil Soup a few times so I figured that would be a good place to dive in.
This was a really wonderful soup, especially if you love bacon like we do. It's exactly the type of thing I'd want to eat after shoveling a foot of snow from the driveway. It's also super simple recipe with just a handful of ingredients garnished with crispy bacon & chopped scallions. I don't know if I'd even bother making the crispy bacon next time but the scallions added a great crunch for a little texture. Our only complaint with this recipe was that the picture in the book shows a very thick almost stew like soup & the finished soup was actually quite a bit thinner. Matt says next time he'd add more lentils to make it a little thicker.
Bacon & Lentil Soup
(By Charlie Trotter from Soup's On!: 75 Soul-Satisfying Recipes from Your Favorite Chefs
)1 lb bacon julienned
1 c diced onion
1 c diced carrots
1 c green lentils
8 c chicken stock or broth
salt
pepper
1/2 c chopped scallion
In a large soup pot over medium heat cook 3/4 of the bacon until the fat is rendered, about 5 minutes. Add the onions & carrots & cook until the onions are translucent. If there is a lot of fat drain it off. Add the lentils & 4 cups of the stock. Simmer for 40-50 minutes until the lentils are tender. Add the remaining 4 cups of stock. Season with salt & pepper & cook another 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the remaining bacon until crispy. Drain on a paper towel.
Garnish the soup with the crispy bacon & scallions.
Serves 4 - 6
I've been dying for a good bowl of soup, and this one looks like it would really hit the spot!
ReplyDeleteIt is really cold outside today, with a biting wind. That looks like the perfect thing to warm you up!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like for the cover they scooped out half the lentils and then went at the rest with a stick blender. It's a pretty good way to add body to soups without adding cream or the like.
ReplyDeleteIf you're going to leave out the bacon, a drizzle of EV olive oil would be a nice addition.
Or, to go the other direction, instead of the bacon you might add a smoked ham hock or turkey leg right at the beginning and, at the end, pick the meat off to add back into the soup.
Soups on! It's cold, rainy and I'm staying in...won't you FedEx a soup for me?
ReplyDeleteI'm a sucker for a good soup cookbook too! This looks great.
ReplyDeleteWow... so easy and so good sounding. Can't wait to try this.
ReplyDeleteHmm yes... this looks like it would pair very nicely with a snow shovel :) I like the combination and more lentils sounds tasty :)
ReplyDeleteWe love bacon in this house. Great recipe
ReplyDeleteGreat looking soup and frankly if it's a Charlie Trotter recipe I can't even imagine it could be bad.
ReplyDeleteThe only part I don't get is what's all this talk about shovelling snow??
This looks amazing. Would barley work as well, you think?
ReplyDeleteI've made this recipe several times now and it's delicious. I personally wouldn't change a thing about it. :)
ReplyDeletemmmmmmm lentil and bacon - it's my fave soup! Great choice!
ReplyDeleteYou sure can't beat a good soup during those winter months to keep you warm.
Plus as they've scientifically proven, a soup keeps your digestion system "fuller" for longer periods than solid foods. Great for keeping the hunger pangs at bay! lol
I've mixed bacon in with lentils. The tastes go well together.
ReplyDeleteSee the recipe here:
http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2009/09/lentils_with_ba.html
But, I've not mixed them in soup. This is something new I'll have to try. Thanks for the recipe!