Lentil Apple Soup With Bacon Buttermilk Food

LENTIL-APPLE SOUP WITH BACON & BUTTERMILK

Steps:

• Slice bacon into 1-inch pieces. Heat vegetable oil over medium heat in a 4-quart Dutch oven or saucepan. Add the bacon and cook till crispy, 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the leek in half reserving the light green part (discard or use the dark upper stem for another use such as stock). Slice lengthwise, then thinly slice into thin half-moon rounds. Set aside. Peel and slice the carrots. Cut into quarters lengthwise, then dice. Set aside. Trim celery then cut in quarter strips, lengthwise and dice.
• Drain the bacon on paper towels and pour off all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat (save the bacon fat by pouring into a room-temp glass and keep in the fridge). Add leeks, carrots, celery, and a pinch of salt to the pan. Stir then sweat over low heat until vegetables are tender, 5-7 minutes. Meanwhile, use a knife to remove the ginger peel. Cut ginger in half, then thinly slice into sheets, then matchsticks and finely chop. Add to the pot. Peel and dice garlic and add to the pot.
• When the vegetables are soft and lightly caramelized, add cumin. Toast in the skillet for 30 seconds. Add lentils, black pepper, chicken stock, and apple cider. Cover, turn up heat to medium and bring to a heavy simmer, 5 minutes. Reduce to a low simmer and cook 30 minutes.
• While the soup is simmering chop the apples by slicing around the core in thin rounds, then matchsticks and finally a small dice. Remove rosemary needles from stem by holding the sprig at the top, then sliding your fingers down to the bottom stripping off the needles. Bunch needles together and mince. When the soup is "soupy," stir in the apples and rosemary and cook 2-3 additional minutes.
• Taste soup and add salt if necessary. Serve in individual bowls. Garnish with a drizzle of buttermilk and a sprinkle of bacon.

LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Place the olive oil into a large 6-quart Dutch oven and set over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, carrot, celery and salt and sweat until the onions are translucent, approximately 6 to 7 minutes. Add the lentils, tomatoes, broth, coriander, cumin and grains of paradise and stir to combine. Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook at a low simmer until the lentils are tender, approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Using a stick blender, puree to your preferred consistency. Serve immediately.

SLOW COOKER LENTIL SOUP WITH BACON

Steps:

• Rinse lentils well under cold running water. Drain and transfer to a slow cooker. Pour in water until water level is twice as high as lentils. Add bay leaf and set slow cooker to High.
• Meanwhile, heat onion and bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until bacon is crispy, 5 to 10 minutes. Season with garlic powder and transfer bacon-onion mixture to the slow cooker.
• Cook on High until lentils are tender, about 5 hours.

CREAMY LENTIL & SPINACH SOUP WITH BACON

Steps:

• Put the oil, onions, carrots and celery in a large saucepan, and cook for about 10 mins to soften.
• Stir in the lentils and pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, then turn down and simmer for 30-35 mins or until the lentils are soft, topping up with water if the mixture begins to dry out. Pop in the spinach and cook for a few mins more, until wilted. Blitz the soup until smooth, then stir through the cream and season. Keep the soup warm over a low heat.
• Heat a little oil in a non-stick pan over a medium heat. Add the bacon and fry until crisp and golden. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle with a little cream and crumble over the crispy bacon.

LENTIL SOUP WITH BACON

Steps:

• In a saucepan, brown the bacon. Remove the bacon and set aside.
• Add onion and carrots, cook 5 minutes.
• Add lentils, chicken broth and bay leaf.
• Let simmer 25 to 30 minutes.
• Add the bacon, cumin and parsley.

LENTIL & BACON SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, 1 pack of pancetta and the carrot. Cook on a low to medium heat for 10 minutes until the onions are soft.
• Add the cumin, turmeric, garlic and chilli and cook for a further 1 - 2 minutes until the aromas are released.
• Pour in 1.25 litres of boiling water, crumble in the stock cubes and add the lentils. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 mins, stirring occasionally to ensure the lentils aren't sticking.
• Meanwhile, fry the remaining lardons in a small frying pan for about 10 minutes until crispy. You don't need to add any oil as plenty will run from the pancetta.
• Serve the soup with a sprinkle of crispy lardons on top.