February Soup

My treatment for feeling cold and a little couped-up in mid-February.

A. Spend time with these people.

B. Eat this soup.

I love this lentil soup.

It's loaded with vegetables, brown rice, lentils and just enough bacon to give it deep, rich flavour.

Simple ingredients, simple to prepare and can stand on it's own feet as a meal. Perfect.

Serve it with some rye bread or a simple spinach salad.

February Lentil Soup

(adapted from Saveur.com)

1/4 lb bacon cut in to 1 inch slices

2 carrots, finely chopped

2 ribs celery, finely chopped

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp fragrant curry powder

1⁄2 tsp. dried thyme

8 cups chicken broth

1 cup long-grain brown rice, rinsed

3⁄4 cup brown lentils, rinsed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

chopped kale or spinach (optional)

1. Cook bacon in a large soup pot, stirring until crispy and cooked. Drain fat.

2. Add carrots, celery, and onions, along with cumin, thyme and curry. Cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 10–15 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, rice, and lentils and season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, and cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until rice and lentils are soft, about 45 minutes. Stir in greens, if using.