Lentil Soup

If you want to make a vegetarian version of this, leave out the salt pork, sauté the vegetables in butter or olive oil, and substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

• 0.5 lb. salt pork, diced small
• 2 cups lentils
• 1 Tbsp. curry powder
• 1 onion
• 1 leek
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 ribs celery
• 1 medium carrot
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Tbsp. parsley
• Salt and pepper, to taste

See the note on salt pork.

Wash the lentils well, checking for little rocks, and drain them.

In a large pot, brown the salt pork cubes over medium heat until they give up their fat and become good and crispy. Remove the pieces to a bowl.

Either mince the vegetables or whirl them in a food processor, then sauté them in the hot salt pork fat for 10 minutes or so. Add the curry powder and sauté for 1 more minute.

Pour in the broth, stir in the lentils, add the bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Simmer for half an hour or until lentils are tender.

You can give the whole thing a whiz with a stick blender at this point, remove a couple of cups and whiz that then add it back, or leave the whole thing unwhizzed. It's entirely up to you ansd what you like. If your soup sems like it's a little thin with all the good bits on the bottom, you may want to bind it by adding a couple of tablespoons of flour and cooking it for 5–10 minutes just to bring it all together.

In any case, after that, you need to mince the parsley and add it to the soup, along with the crispy pork bits; taste and adjust the seasoning to suit.

Serve hot, with bread or crackers.