French green lentils and black lentils hold up well to long, slow cooking without becoming mushy. Save the rinds from used-up blocks of Parmesan in a resealable plastic bag or tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. They give soup broths a rich, savory flavor.
Ingreadient
- 3 cups chopped peeled celeriac (celery root)
- 2 cups chopped parsnips
- 1 cup chopped carrot
- 1 cup frozen pearl onions
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 cup French green lentils or black lentils, rinsed
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon 1 (3 inch) rind Parmesan cheese plus 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan, divided
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 4 ounces pancetta, crisp-cooked and crumbled (Optional)
Direction
- Combine celeriac, parsnips, carrot, pearl onions, celery, tomatoes, garlic and herbes de Provence in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Add broth, lentils, rosemary, Parmesan rind, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on High 4 1/2 hours or on Low for 8 hours.
- Remove the rosemary, Parmesan rind and bay leaf. Serve the soup topped with shredded cheese and garnished with pancetta, if desired.
