Although optional, I highly recommend making the the garlicky green sauce. Stirred in just before serving, it will transform a good lentil soup into an extraordinary lentil soup!

Lentil soup:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup celery
• 1 cup diced carrot
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tbps tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 lb French green or brown lentils
• 6 cups veggie stock

Green sauce:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup cilantro, (chopped fine)
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• ground pepper to taste
• red pepper flakes to taste

For the lentil soup:

1. Heat olive oil in a large (6 quart) pot.
2. Over medium-high heat, saute the onions, celery and carrots until golden, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and saute another two minutes: add tomato paste and cook a couple more minutes to caramelize and deepen the flavor of the tomato.
4. Add the lentils, bay leaf and the broth. Season with salt and pepper.Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer the soup for 40-45 minutes, until the lentils are tender.

For the green sauce:

1. Mix all of the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until fine. You can also use a mortar and pestle to mash the ingredients together. Drizzle on the lentil soup.