Lentil Soup with Bacon and Ham

Hi,
The weather is starting to turn cool here. I'm holding out turning on the heat, so instead have been making soup and other fall type dishes to warm us up.

I'm a huge fan of slow cookers. I throw in everything in the morning before I leave the house and "voila" when I get home... dinner. Somehow it seems magical. I made this soup with things I had around the house. If you don't have the bacon or the ham, I think you can do without, but I think the addition of a bit of protein adds depth to the soup.

1 lb lentils, I used half brown and half red, rinsed thoroughly

Be sure to rinse the lentils. A good way is in a large bowl, swishing the lentils around and changing the water frequently until the water is clear. On a few occasions I have found a small pebble or debris. Drain, then set aside.

4 medium onions, coarsely chopped (I used red onions because those were the ones I had. Regular onions are fine too)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 slices of bacon, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

Add the onions, oil and bacon to a large pot. Cook until the onions start to brown.

4 medium carrots, coarsely chopped

Add the carrots and cook for another minute. At this point if you are using a slow cooker transfer the mixture the slow cooker.

5 cups of water
1/4 lb sliced ham, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 bouillon cube (for 2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon thyme
Rinsed lentils

Add the rest of the ingredients. If you are doing the soup in a slow cooker, set it to medium and the soup will be done in about 8 hours. If you are doing this on top of a stove, simmer the soup over low heat for about 2 hours. You may need to add a bit more liquid if the soup gets too thick.

Salt and pepper

Check to see if the soup needs a bit more salt or some pepper. This is a very hearty soup. We had it for dinner with some cheese toast and fruit. It reheats well, so it's perfect for the rest of the week for lunches or dinners. It's very quick and easy.

Hugs,
Mameekosan