• Staff Favorite

Ingredients

1. 2 tablespoons pure olive oil
2. 1 1/2 pounds shoulder lamb chops
3. 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
4. 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
5. 2 red bell peppers, cut into 1/4-inch dice
6. 2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice
7. 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
8. 1 celery rib, cut into 1/4-inch dice
9. One 28-ounce can Italian tomatoes, crushed, with their liquid
10. 1 pound brown lentils, rinsed
11. 10 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
12. 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, stems discarded, leaves chopped
13. Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large enameled cast-iron casserole. Add the lamb chops and cook over moderately high heat until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to a plate.
2. Add the potatoes, garlic, peppers, carrots, onion and celery to the casserole and cook over moderate heat, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the lamb chops, tomatoes, lentils, chicken stock and parsley and bring to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and a few grindings of pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat until the lentils are tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the lamb chops and discard the bones. Cut the meat into large pieces and return to the soup. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Make Ahead

The soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Notes

For a memorably rich soup, substitute lard for the olive oil as in the traditional German recipe. Prairie Pride Farm sells leaf lard, the best kind of lard, which comes from around the pig’s kidneys. Store the lard in the refrigerator or the freezer.