Lentil & Bacon Potage (soup)

 

I usually go to my sister's home every Sunday for a dinner with the family.  There is usually my sister, my brother-in-law, my father and myself in attendance and we get to enjoy a really delicious meal together. No surprise, my sister is a very good cook. 

Usually, it will be a roast dinner of some sort, and sometimes my sister will make a delicious pizza. I always look forward to either one. My sister's pizzas are unrivaled and better than any you could get at a Pizzaria. In fact, her homemade pizzas have ruined going to a Pizzaria for me!! They pale in comparison to Cindy's.

This week she made a delicious Lentil & Bacon Potage for our dinner which we enjoyed with some buttered rustic sour dough bread. I am not lying when I tell you that this is the most delicious lentil soup I have ever eaten!

 

It was hearty and loaded with goodness and beautiful flavors. It was so delicious that I had to get the recipe from her!  She was more than happy to share.  Here it is, only two days later (three as you read this) and I am already making it for myself here at home!

Trust me when I tell you that this is probably going to be the most delicious pot of lentil soup you will ever make!  Simple and humble ingredients, put together in a very simple way with insanely delicious results.  You will not want to miss out on this one.  This is the "Gold" standard of lentil soups!

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE LENTIL & BACON POTAGE (SOUP)

This is a soup which uses really simple vegetables. I am sure any root vegetable could be deliciously employed in any combination, and you would still come up with a hearty and delicious soup!

• 5 rashers (200g) smoked bacon
• 1 medium cooking onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 large potato
• 2 medium parsnips
• 2 medium carrots
• 1/4 cup (50g) green lentils
• 1 bay leaf, broken in two
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 cups (500ml) water or vegetable stock (or as much as is needed to cover everything)

 

A rasher is simply a strip of streaky bacon.  You could use ham if you wanted to, but part of the delicious of this soup comes from the fat from the bacon.  It creates a rich and silky broth.

Parsnips are a vegetable that looks a bit like a white carrot. They taste nothing like carrots but have a very distinct flavor of their own.  They have a beautiful flavor that is almost perfume-like. Sweet and earthy.  You could use Swede/turnip in their place if you cannot get the parsnips, but if you can get parsnips, DO use them.  They are incredible in this soup.

Make sure you use green lentils. Red or yellow lentils will break down too much in the cooking.  The beauty of using green lentils in this soup is that they keep their shape.

The reason I break the bay leaf in half is to release all of its flavors. I was taught to do that many, many years ago and it is a flavor tip that has never let me down.

I used vegetable stock. I like to use Better than Boullion.  It has a lovely flavor and is not too salty.

 

HOW TO MAKE LENTIL & BACON POTAGE (SOUP)

This is one very easy pot of soup to make. Once you have all your vegetables prepped it goes together very quickly.  It smells amazing while it is cooking.

Dice your bacon and place it into a medium-large saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes in order to allow the fat to render. It doesn't need to be crisp.

While the bacon is cooking prepare your vegetables. Peel the carrot, parsnip, potato, garlic, and onion.

 

Mince the garlic and finely dice the onion. Cut the carrots into rounds and cut the parsnips into half moons. Cut the potato into 1-inch chunks. Slice the celery into 1/3-inch slices.

Add the onion, celery and garlic to the bacon. Cook and sweat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the carrots, potatoes and parsnips. Cook, stirring occasionally for a further 2 minutes.

 

Add the stock and the lentils. (It should be enough stock just to cover everything.) Add the bay leaf, parsley and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for an hour, or until everything is meltingly tender, and the lentils are cooked through. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.

Ladle into heated bowls and enjoy with crackers or crusty bread.

 

This is THE most delicious lentil soup I have ever eaten. I had it at my sisters for dinner on Sunday evening  along with some crusty bread.  I just had to get the recipe from her, it was that good. I have never tasted a lentil soup as delicious as this one.

I immediately went out and bought some parsnips yesterday so that I could make it again at home. I am in love.  I enjoyed a hearty bowl of this along with some crisp salted crackers. I was going to take the second serving over to my neighbor, but oops!!!  I'm afraid I made a bit of a pig of myself. I had it for lunch and supper.

Yes, it IS that good!

 

I love having soup for supper in these cold Winter months. Especially when it is a hearty one. Here are a few other hearty soups you might enjoy!

PEA SOUP WITH SHARP CHEDDAR DUMPLINGS - Did somebody say dumplings?  I am a huge fan of dumplings and these delicious sharp cheddar dumplings really shine in this incredibly tasty pea soup. This is a perfect combination of flavors and textures!

COCONUT CURRY LENTIL SOUP - This soup is hearty and filling, low in fat, and loaded with goodness by way of two kinds of lentils, brown rice, shredded coconut, and a special mix of spices.  It is, simply put, very delicious. Prepare to fall in love.

RECIPE HERE

Yield: 2 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Lentil & Bacon Potage

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 1 H & 10 MTotal time: 1 H & 15 M

I had this tasty soup at my sister's for dinner the other night and it was so delicious I had to beg her for the recipe and here I am just a few days later making it at home. This is hearty, filling and insanely delicious! It's also very simple to make. It can easily be doubled or tripled to make more.

Ingredients

• 5 rashers (200g) smoked bacon
• 1 medium cooking onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 large potato
• 2 medium parsnips
• 2 medium carrots
• 1/4 cup (50g) green lentils
• 1 bay leaf, broken in two
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 cups (500ml) water or vegetable stock (or as much as is needed to cover everything)

Instructions

1. Dice your bacon and place it into a medium-large saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes in order to allow the fat to render. It doesn't need to be crisp.
2. While the bacon is cooking prepare your vegetables. Peel the carrot, parsnip, potato, garlic, and onion.
3. Mince the garlic and finely dice the onion. Cut the carrots into rounds and cut the parsnips into half moons. Cut the potato into 1-inch chunks. Slice the celery into 1/3-inch slices.
4. Add the onion, celery and garlic to the bacon. Cook and sweat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the carrots, potatoes and parsnips. Cook, stirring occasionally for a further 2 minutes.
6. Add the stock and the lentils. (It should be enough stock just to cover everything.) Add the bay leaf, parsley and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for an hour, or until everything is meltingly tender, and the lentils are cooked through. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
8. Ladle into heated bowls and enjoy with crackers or crusty bread.

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