Smoked Ham and Lentil Soup

I wanted to make a hearty soup that I was sure was going to be enjoyed and be easy to re-heat as needed for my family and for some sweet friends.  As I wandered around the grocery store I discovered some heirloom rainbow carrots. They looked interesting so I decided to make them the basis of my soup.

The carrots were lovely. I peeled them with my potato peeler and sliced into rounds, not too thick and not too thin. I used the entire bag.  After rinsing I put them in the bottom of my soup pot and added just enough chicken stock to cover and set them to boil. As soon as they began to boil, I turned the heat back to medium low and let them simmer while I prepared the rest of the ingredients.

As the carrots were gently simmering I began to chop the ham.  Ham is a very interesting subject for me. Sometimes I like to bake it myself for hours and hours all day with my own special blend of seasonings. Sometimes I realize that I do not have time for that so I seek out special hams at the store that have excellent flavor.

This is the ham that I purchased. I bought a half one that was perfectly smoked. While my carrots were simmering, I chunked the ham into small bite size pieces. When all of the ham was completely chopped, I added them into the pot with the simmering carrots.

Into the pot next after the ham addition, I added 16 ounces of chicken stock and one stick of real butter (you really are not surprised I added butter, are you?).  As the next addition to the pot is lentils, I needed more liquid for them to absorb than just the chicken stock and butter that the carrots and ham were bathing in.  To the pot I added 8 cups of water. Because I used a rainbow selection of carrots I also decided to use two colors of lentils. To the carrots, ham, chicken stock and water I added one pound of green lentils and 3/4 pound of red lentils.

I brought the above combination to a boil again and then immediately turned the heat back down and let the lentils simmer gently with the carrots and ham for about twenty minutes. Honestly, do not overcook your lentils. This is the very reason that I pre-cooked my carrots. I knew the carrots would need longer than the lentils.   I also added a small amount of cayenne pepper and a healthy shake of Soul Seasoning.

Time your cooking of your lentils carefully. Follow their cooking directions carefully. The key to this soup was simple. Tasty carrots, smokey ham, well cooked lentils and a touch of butter. Give it a try and enjoy!
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