Fine Lentil Soup with Cream

Ingredients

• 400 g brown lentils
• 1 bunch of soup vegetables
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1.5 l meat broth
• 2 tbsp parsley (finely chopped)
• 60 g diced bacon
• 2 slices white bread
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 1 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Salt
• pepper (from grinder)
• sugar
• 1 small chili pepper

Instructions

1. 1.

   Clean, wash and peel carrots and celery. Cut everything into small cubes. Rinse lentils in a sieve under cold water, bring to a boil in the broth and simmer for 20 minutes; then add vegetables, bay leaf and thyme and simmer for another 20 minutes. When the lentils are tender, set aside about one ladle of them, remove the bay leaf and puree the rest.

2. 2.

   Cut bacon into thin strips and slowly brown in hot butter. Remove bacon and set aside.

3. 3.

   Remove crust from bread, cut into small cubes and fry in the fat until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

4. 4.

   Wash, trim and slice chili pepper into rings.

5. 5.

   Add lemon zest and tomato paste to the lentil puree, add the reserved lentils and heat covered. Season with balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Serve by ladling soup into preheated bowls and topping with bacon, croutons and chili rings.