Instructions
Preparing the soup
- Rinse the lentils in a bowl, then drain the water.
Scrub the carrots (don’t peel them—you’ll lose valuable vitamins and antioxidants). Slice them into small pieces and add them to the lentils.
- Peel, rinse, and finely chop the shallots, then add them to the bowl.
- Peel, halve, and remove the core from the onion. Stud it with the clove and add it to the rest of the vegetables.
- Rinse the parsley and separate the stems from the leaves. Set the leaves aside for garnish, and add the stems to the lentils in the pot.
- Rinse and crush the garlic clove with the flat side of a chef's knife, then add it to the lentils.
Add the bacon bits.
- If you don't have homemade chicken broth, prepare it according to the package instructions.
- Pour the broth into the casserole dish and add the thyme and bay leaf.
- Cover and cook for 30 minutes, skimming off the foam regularly.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, just before the end of cooking.
IMPORTANT: Do not salt the lentils too early, as salt causes them to toughen. Also, the broth is already salty, so proceed with caution.
Preparation of the Ricotta Topping
- Did you save the parsley leaves? Now’s the time to use them!
Gather the leaves into a ball, slice them finely, and add them to a mixing bowl.
- Shell and crush the pistachios, then add them to the parsley.
- Add the ricotta and olive oil.
Season with salt and pepper, then mix the contents of the mixing bowl.
- Finely grate the lemon zest into the mixing bowl using a Microplane grater, then stir again.
Refrigerate.
Assembly and service
- Open the pot and remove the onion, thyme, bay leaf, and garlic cloves.
Blend with an immersion blender until smooth.
Add the cream and blend briefly.
- When serving, place some ricotta quenelles or dumplings around the edge of the soup bowl—let your creativity run wild!
Serve the soup piping hot in the center of the bowl.