Lentil Soup

I was at a restaurant the other day and had a delicious bowl of lentil soup. After carefully examining the ingredients in the bowl I came up with this recipe for Arabian Lentil Soup.

Lentil Soup

1 cup brown lentils
4 cups chicken broth
1 carrot, grated
1 stalk celery, sliced
a few handfuls of baby spinach either frozen or fresh
1/2 onion, diced
2 ounces canned pimentos
olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 t thyme
1 t oregano
1 t cumin
1/2 t coriander
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a pot over medium heat. Add olive oil. Saute onion until translucent. Add garlic, celery and pimentos and saute for a couple more minutes. Add grated carrot and everything else except the spinach. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Simmer 1/2 hour or until lentils are tender and well cooked. Remove the lid and cook uncovered until the soup thickens up a bit - about like the consistency of good chili. At the end of cooking add the spinach and stir. Cook for a couple minutes until the spinach wilts. Remove from heat and serve.