2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
6 slices of bacon, diced
6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 carrots, trimmed, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
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3 cups lentils, washed and checked for pebbles
10 cups water or chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 thin slices French bagette, toated
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese (optional)
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Heat the oil and butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the
bacon, garlic, carrots, onion, and herbes de Provence, and saute
for 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft. Stir in the lentils
and water and bring to a boil. Skim the foam off the top of the
soup and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, or
until the lentils are tender. Season with salt and pepper. To serve,
ladle soup into 6 bowls, top each with a slice of toasted bread,
and sprinkle with cheese. Serves 6.
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