Smoky lentil soup with bacon

This soup came together in short order while waiting for the Super Bowl to start. And even more importantly, waiting for the Super Bowl to end! We've finally got our town back. Don't get me wrong; we welcome guests, but inviting hordes of people here to party in early February is pretty inhospitable. Come back and visit when we're ourselves again, not trying to be something we're not. Think spring, summer or fall. Maybe December in a pinch if you like white Christmases.

Smoky lentil soup

Adapted from “Grilled Cheese Kitchen,” by Heidi Gibson with Nate Pollak.

Ingredients

2 strips thick-cut smoked bacon

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 small white onion, diced

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

2 celery stalks, diced

3 large garlic cloves, diced

6-ounce can tomato paste

4 cups broth

¾ cup green lentils

1½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

¾ teaspoon smoked paprika

Method

Cut bacon into chunks. Fry until crispy in a large saucepan. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

Add olive oil to drippings. Saute onion, carrots and celery until softened. Add garlic and cook a minute more.

Stir in tomato paste, broth, lentils, salt, pepper and paprika. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 to 45 minutes. Add bacon and heat through. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

Serves 4.

Rating: Wonderful. Right up there among my favorite soups involving lentils. The double dose of smoky flavors from the bacon and the smoked paprika really make this. It's nice and thick, almost chili like, and it develops a deep flavor in the comparatively short amount of time it takes to cook. It did indeed pair well with a grilled cheese sandwich.