Makes about 4 quarts.
Ingredients
2 cups Lentilles du Puy (green lentils)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces pancetta, finely diced
1 large yellow onion, medium diced
1 large carrot, peeled, medium diced
1 small celery root, peeled, rinsed, medium diced
1 cup dry white wine
2 quarts chicken stock
1 cup tomato puree
Pinch chile flakes
1 teaspoon toasted ground cumin (toast seeds in skillet, crush)
1 teaspoon toasted ground coriander
Salt and pepper
Directions
Rinse the lentils. Place them in a pot with 6 cups of cold water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, and simmer for about 1 hour, until just tender. Drain and quickly rinse. Set aside.
Add olive oil to a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat and slowly render the pancetta. Add the yellow onion, carrot and celery root and sweat with a pinch of salt, about 10 minutes. Add the white wine and reduce by 2/3. Add the stock, tomato puree and lentils, and simmer the soup until thick, about 40 minutes. Season with the chile flakes, cumin, coriander and additional salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with toasted bread and butter.
