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Strumtrulescent Lentil Soup

Virtual high five to anyone who knows where the word 'Strumtrulescent" comes from. And no deal if you have to Google it.

It's certainly soup season here in West Virginia... a high over 30 degrees is cause for celebration lately. I whipped this up the other day and it came out great. The nice thing about using lentils in soups as opposed to other legumes (navy beans, for example) is that you don't have to soak them before using. A big time saver. This can be a vegan recipe if you skip the addition of the pork. It's very good either way.

Here's the recipe.

2 tablespoon olive oil
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 large onion
3 celery stalks, trimmed and chopped.
3 cloves of garlic, minced
8 cups of water
1 small (16 oz.) bag of lentils
1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of black pepper
4 slices of bacon or 4 oz of pancetta, chopped (optional)
3 teaspoons of salt (2 if using the meat)

In a large stockpot, heat the oil and add the carrots, onions, celery, garlic and meat (if using). Cook over medium heat until the vegetables have softened and the meat has cooked through. This should take about 5-10 minutes. Add lentils, spices and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 45-60 minutes.

Serve with some crusty bread and enjoy. A couple sprinkles of hot sauce are also a nice touch if you like things spicy. Enjoy!

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Strumtrulescent Lentil Soup + TIME