But before you stop reading let me just say, this ain't no ordinary bowl of lentils, I call this baby Provencal Lentil Soup with Roasted Potato Croutons, mostly because I'm not very good with titles, but also because it has some south of France kind of flavors goin' on. You should try it. Here's the recipe:
Soup:
about 2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 smallish carrots
3 ribs celery
1 large onion
2 tsp. herbes de provences
dash of red chile flakes
1 pound lentils
6 cups vegetable broth
4 cups water
1/4 c. finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
salt & pepper
Potato Croutons:
2 medium red potatoes
about 1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
about 1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary
salt and pepper
Dice carrots, celery, and onion and saute in olive oil over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes or until soft and fragrant. Stir in herbs and chile and cook for another minute. Add lentils to the pot then the liquid. Stir. Cover the pot and raise the heat to high. When the pot boils, give it a stir, leave the lid ajar, and turn it down to low so that it can enjoy an gentle simmer for about an hour or until your lentils are soft and soupy.
While your soup is asimmerin’, turn your oven to 425, and dice your potatoes. Toss potatoes with the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper, and spread them out in a single layer on a parchment covered baking pan. Roast for 30 minutes or until soft on the inside and crispy on the outside.
To serve: ladle soup into bowls,top with crispy potatoes, and place a wedge of lemon on the side.
