Cream Of Vegetable Soup With Ham And Lentils

• 3 1/2 ounces smoked ham
• 1 onion peeled and sliced
• 1 carrot peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 cup celeriac peeled and roughly chopped
• 1/2 leek sliced
• 5 black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 5/8 ounces black lentils soaked overnight in 500ml water
• 1 3/4 tablespoons butter
• 3 1/4 tablespoons plain flour
• 6 3/4 tablespoons whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 5 sprigs fresh flat leaf parsley chopped

1. Place the ham, onion, carrot, celeriac, leek, peppercorns, bay leaf and 4 cups water in a pot. Cover, bring to a boil and simmer for 25 mins.
2. Meanwhile, cook the drained lentils in boiling water for 12-15 mins, until softened. Drain and set aside.
3. Remove the ham from the soup, then strain the vegetables, reserving the stock. Finely chop the ham. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the ham until crisp. Add the lentils and parsley and heat through. Keep warm.
4. Melt the butter in a clean saucepan, add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 mins. Gradually pour in the reserved stock, stirring constantly, then whisk in the cream and mustard. Bring to a boil and season. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with the ham and lentil mixture.

ham, onion, carrot, black peppercorns, bay leaf, black lentils soaked, butter, flour, whipping cream, mustard, oil, flat leaf parsley

Taken from www.yummly.com/recipe/Cream-of-Vegetable-Soup-with-Ham-and-Lentils-1411935 (may not work)