Spiced Lentil Soup

Ingredients

Ingredients

Place the olive oil, butter, and onion in a soup kettle, set over low heat and cook until the onion has softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium, add the carrots and stir-cook for 1 minute.

Add the celery and stir-cook for 1 minute. Add the green pepper and stir-cook for 1 minute. Add the diced potato, cumin, chili powder, and allspice, stir-cook for 1 minute.

Add the herb bundle, lentils, and chicken broth; bring to a boil, then boil for 1 minute. Cover and simmer for about 1 hour, or until the lentils are tender.

The soup may be prepared in advance up to this point.

Season the soup with salt and fresh pepper to taste and discard the parsley-bay leaf bundle.

Ladle the soup into warm bowls and serve steaming hot.