Start with about 4 cups of broth. (Mine was a combination of vegetable and ham broth I made by boiling a ham bone.)
1 chopped onion
3 ribs celery finely chopped
2-3 carrots finely diced
2-3 cloves garlic minced
Roasted red pepper, or a fresh red pepper, chopped
Cook until veggies are done
Add
Diced or shredded ham—maybe 2 cups
1 large or 2 small cans tomatoes—crushed or whole, whatever you like
A bay leaf
About a cup of dry lentils—cook at this point to the degree you like the lentils softened. Many recipes say only 15 minutes—but I like them softer.
Fresh thyme and parsley to taste (a heaping Tbsp or two of each)
Salt and pepper (I used onion salt) to taste
Dash of cayenne
1 small lemon or half a large lemon squeezed in before serving
You can add fresh greens, like spinach, just before serving
This makes a large batch—8-10 servings, so half it for a smaller family.
--Becky LeDosquet
