Hearty Lentil Soup with Fragrant Spices (ATK)

By hmp13

The soup can be made in advance. After adding the lemon juice in step 2, cool the soup to room temperature and refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 2 days. To serve, heat it over medium-low until hot, then stir in the parsley.

Ingredients

• 3 slices bacon (about 3 ounces), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 large onion , chopped fine (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2 medium carrots , peeled and chopped medium (about 1 cup)
• 3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 can diced tomatoes (14 1/2 ounces), drained
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• 1 cup lentils (7 ounces), rinsed and picked over
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves

Preparation

Step 1

Fry bacon in large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Add onion and carrots; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cayenne; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, bay leaf, and thyme; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in lentils, salt, and pepper to taste; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until vegetables are softened and lentils have darkened, 8 to 10 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to high, add wine, and bring to simmer. Add chicken broth and water; bring to boil, cover partially, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until lentils are tender but still hold their shape, 30 to 35 minutes; discard bay leaf.

Puree 3 cups soup in blender until smooth, then return to pot; stir in lemon juice and heat soup over medium-low until hot, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons cilantro and serve, garnishing each bowl with some of remaining cilantro.