Adapted from Cooks Country
~from Savoring Time in the Kitchen
Serves 6 to 8
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups dried brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup white wine (I also added a splash of dry sherry - about 1/8 cup)
7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 ham bone, plus 2 cups leftover chopped ham *see note
1/2 pound kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
Salt and pepper
Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add lentils, carrots, and onion and cook until vegetables are softened and lentils are beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine (and sherry, if using) and cook until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, thyme, bay leaf, and pepper flakes and bring to boil.
Add ham bone or shanks, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, until thickened and lentils are completely tender, about 1 hour.
Discard ham bone and bay leaf. Puree 2 cups soup until smooth. Return pureed soup to pot and stir in kale and ham. Simmer, covered, until kale is tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.
*Note: I doubled the lentils and increased the rest of the recipe by 1/2. I used 8 cups low-sodium chicken stock plus 1 cup water as I wanted a thicker soup. I used 2 smoked ham shanks and had the deli cut a 1/2" slice of my favorite baked ham that I diced.