Recipe: Creamy Lentil Soup (blender or food processor)

CREAMY LENTIL SOUP

"Slow cooking with a base of browned onions and garlic gives and earthy richness to this hearty lentil soup, and pureeing makes it creamy. If you wish, you can use the fat from a few slices of bacon to replace the olive oil. Save the crisp bacon for a crumbled garnish."

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 jumbo Spanish onion, finely chopped
4 plump cloves garlic, smashed and minced
2 large carrots, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cups (about 1 pound) green or brown lentils, preferably French, picked over and rinsed
8 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock (plus more if needed)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
1/3 cup dry sherry
2 to 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives (for garnish)
sour cream (optional, for serving)
croutons (optional, for serving)

Heat oil in a heavy 4-or-5 quart saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, increase heat and cook, stirring often, until golden, 8-12 minutes. Be careful not to burn.

Stir in garlic and carrots. Cook until garlic has softened, 2-4 minutes.

Add thyme, bay leaf, lentils and stock. Cover and cook over high heat until liquid is bubbling. Reduce heat and simmer briskly until lentils begin to fall apart, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

Discard bay leaf. Working in batches, puree soup in a blender, food processor or food mill.

Transfer puree to a clean saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in sherry and heat until simmering. While this should be a very thick soup, you may wish to thin it a little with some additional stock.

Ladle into heated soup bowls and garnish with fresh chives. If desired, top each serving with a dollop of sour cream and some croutons.

Makes 8-10 servings
Source: Garlic, Garlic, Garlic by Linda and Fred Griffith