Smoked Ham And Lentil Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 c. dry lentils
1 1/4 lb. smoked ham shank or ham bone
1 c. sliced carrots
1 c. chopped onions
1/4 c. barley
1 large leek, chopped
1 tsp. thyme leaves
3 medium strips lemon peel
2 bay leaves
8 c. water

Preparation

Sort lentils.
Rinse well; drain.
In 5-quart Dutch oven, combine all soup ingredients.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour or until lentils are tender but not mushy and meat pulls easily from bone.
Remove and discard bay leaves and lemon peel.
Remove ham shank; cool.
Remove meat from bones; cut into bite-sized pieces.
Add meat to soup.
Cook until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally.
Yields 6 (1 1/2-cups) servings.