Ingredients

• 5 rashers (200g) smoked bacon
• 1 medium cooking onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 large potato
• 2 medium parsnips
• 2 medium carrots
• 1/4 cup (50g) green lentils
• 1 bay leaf, broken in two
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 cups (500ml) water or vegetable stock (or as much as is needed to cover everything)

Directions

• Dice your bacon and place it into a medium-large saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes in order to allow the fat to render. It doesn't need to be crisp.
• While the bacon is cooking prepare your vegetables. Peel the carrot, parsnip, potato, garlic, and onion.
• Mince the garlic and finely dice the onion. Cut the carrots into rounds and cut the parsnips into half moons. Cut the potato into 1-inch chunks. Slice the celery into 1/3-inch slices.
• Add the onion, celery and garlic to the bacon. Cook and sweat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the carrots, potatoes and parsnips. Cook, stirring occasionally for a further 2 minutes.
• Add the stock and the lentils. (It should be enough stock just to cover everything.) Add the bay leaf, parsley and thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for an hour, or until everything is meltingly tender, and the lentils are cooked through. Taste and adjust seasoning as required.
• Ladle into heated bowls and enjoy with crackers or crusty bread.

Photos