Lentil Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Soup
1 1/2 lbs smoked ham hock
10 cups water
2 carrots, scraped and sliced
2 celery ribs, chopped with their leaves
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 cup dry lentils, rinsed
bouquet garni
2 bay leaves
2 whole cloves
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon dried parsley
6 peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon thyme

Preparation

Make the bouquet garni by placing the herbs in a cheesecloth or a metal tea ball. Place in large stock pot.
Add all ingredients in stock pot--water, vegetables, lentils.
Simmer the soup for one hour, covered, or until the lentils are tender. Discard the bouquet garni.
Remove the ham hocks. Cut the meat from them. Reserve. Discard bones.
Optional: in the container of a food processor or large blender, whirl half of the soup until it is smooth, 2 cups at a time. Return to pot with other half of soup. Add meat. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve.