Palouse lentil soup

 
                            PALOUSE LENTIL SOUP
 
 Recipe By     : Marty Boucher/Jubail, Saudi Arabia
 Serving Size  : 6    Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Soups, Stews & Chili
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
    5      ounces        pepper bacon or smoked bacon -- diced
    1      cup           yellow onion -- finely diced
    1      cup           celery -- finely diced
    1      cup           carrot -- finely diced
    2      cloves        garlic -- minced
    1      teaspoon      dried marjoram
    1 1/4  cups          dried lentils
    7      cups          chicken stock
    1                    bay leaf
                         salt and pepper -- to taste
 
 In a large, heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, saute the bacon over moderate heat
 until crisp and brown.  Remove the bacon from the pan and set aside.  Add
 onion, celery, carrot, garlic and marjoram and cook for about 5 minutes, or
 until the onion is translucent.
 Add the lentils, chicken stock and bay leaf, and bring just to a boil.
  Reduce heat to low and simmer until the lentils are tender.  About 30
 minutes.  Taste and adjust the seasoning.  If the soup becomes too thick
 during cooking, add more chicken stock.
 Garnish with bacon.
 
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 NOTES : Marty was one of my neighbors in Saudi Arabia--I have not yet made
 this recipe of hers but I have made others and they were delicious!
  Especially her Hot German Potato Salad.