Lentil Soup with Winter Vegetables

By ltrodrigu

Ingredients

• 8 ounces lentils du Puy
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup carrots, finely chopped
• 1 cup onion, finely chopped
• 2/3 cup celeriac, finely chopped
• 2/3 cup leeks, finely chopped
• 2/3 cup celery, finely chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 cloves garlic
• 10 black peppercorns
• 5 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock, heated
• Coarse salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 20 baby spinach leaves
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 4 large eggs

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from gardenclub.homedepot.com

Preparation

Step 1

Place lentils in a large bowl. Add 2 1/2 cups water; let soak for 12 hours.

Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, celeriac, leeks, and celery. Cook, stirring, until vegetables have softened and onions are translucent, 2 to 3 minutes.

Drain and rinse lentils; add to Dutch oven. Cook, stirring to combine, 2 to 3 minutes. Place thyme, garlic, and peppercorns in a piece of cheesecloth; tie with kitchen twine to enclose. Add to skillet along with chicken stock. Place a parchment paper round over liquid and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and continue cooking until lentils are tender, about 5 minutes more.

Transfer 1/3 of the soup mixture to the jar of a blender; blend until smooth, adding chicken stock, if necessary. Transfer blended soup back into Dutch oven with remaining soup; stir to combine. Add spinach leaves, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and drizzle with olive oil. Keep warm.

Fill a large pot with water and add vinegar; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Gently crack eggs into pot, one at a time, and reduce heat to medium. Cook eggs for 3 minutes; using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked eggs to a paper towel-lined plate.

Serve soup immediately topped with a poached egg.