Lentil Soup | The Fancy Pants Kitchen

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 large onion, peeled and diced
• 1 pound celery, peeled and chopped (leafy, pale center stalks removed)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 generous sprig of thyme
• 1 or 2 fresh parsley stems, with leaves
• 1 pound French lentils, or regular brown lentils
• 2 & 1/2 quarts cold water
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp butter (optional)
• 12 turns freshly-ground black pepper
• Pecorino-Romano cheese and freshly-chopped parsley, optional, to finish