Mexican Lentil Soup With Bacon Recipes

Steps:

• Slice bacon into 1-inch pieces. Heat vegetable oil over medium heat in a 4-quart Dutch oven or saucepan. Add the bacon and cook till crispy, 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the leek in half reserving the light green part (discard or use the dark upper stem for another use such as stock). Slice lengthwise, then thinly slice into thin half-moon rounds. Set aside. Peel and slice the carrots. Cut into quarters lengthwise, then dice. Set aside. Trim celery then cut in quarter strips, lengthwise and dice.
• Drain the bacon on paper towels and pour off all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat (save the bacon fat by pouring into a room-temp glass and keep in the fridge). Add leeks, carrots, celery, and a pinch of salt to the pan. Stir then sweat over low heat until vegetables are tender, 5-7 minutes. Meanwhile, use a knife to remove the ginger peel. Cut ginger in half, then thinly slice into sheets, then matchsticks and finely chop. Add to the pot. Peel and dice garlic and add to the pot.
• When the vegetables are soft and lightly caramelized, add cumin. Toast in the skillet for 30 seconds. Add lentils, black pepper, chicken stock, and apple cider. Cover, turn up heat to medium and bring to a heavy simmer, 5 minutes. Reduce to a low simmer and cook 30 minutes.
• While the soup is simmering chop the apples by slicing around the core in thin rounds, then matchsticks and finally a small dice. Remove rosemary needles from stem by holding the sprig at the top, then sliding your fingers down to the bottom stripping off the needles. Bunch needles together and mince. When the soup is "soupy," stir in the apples and rosemary and cook 2-3 additional minutes.
• Taste soup and add salt if necessary. Serve in individual bowls. Garnish with a drizzle of buttermilk and a sprinkle of bacon.

Steps:

• Rinse lentils well under cold running water. Drain and transfer to a slow cooker. Pour in water until water level is twice as high as lentils. Add bay leaf and set slow cooker to High.
• Meanwhile, heat onion and bacon in a skillet over medium heat. Cook until bacon is crispy, 5 to 10 minutes. Season with garlic powder and transfer bacon-onion mixture to the slow cooker.
• Cook on High until lentils are tender, about 5 hours.

Steps:

• In a saucepan, brown the bacon. Remove the bacon and set aside.
• Add onion and carrots, cook 5 minutes.
• Add lentils, chicken broth and bay leaf.
• Let simmer 25 to 30 minutes.
• Add the bacon, cumin and parsley.

Steps:

• Soak the lentils overnight.
• Boil them in about a liter of water with the half onion and the whole garlic clove. If the pot starts to run dry, just add more water. Remove onion and garlic after they finish cooking.
• In a large pot, fry the bacon until slightly crispy.
• Add chopped onions, jalapenos and crushed garlic. Cook until soft.
• Add tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes.
• Add cooked lentils with their juices and stir.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Simmer in low heat for 15 minutes.
• Serve immediately topped with fresh cilantro.