Hearty Lentil Soup

1. Cook bacon in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Add onion and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, bay leaf, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in lentils and salt and season with pepper to taste. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until vegetables are softened and lentils have darkened, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Uncover, increase heat to high, add wine, and bring to simmer. Add chicken broth and water, bring to boil, cover partially, and reduce heat to low. Simmer until lentils are tender but still hold their shape, 30 to 35 minutes.
3. Remove bay leaf from pot and discard. Puree 3 cups soup in blender until smooth, then return to pot. Stir in vinegar and heat soup over medium-low heat until hot, about 5 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons parsley and serve, garnishing each bowl with remaining parsley.
   MAKE-AHEAD: After adding vinegar in step 3, refrigerate soup in airtight container for up to 2 days. To serve, heat it over medium-low heat until hot, then stir in the parsley.

HEARTY LENTIL SOUP WITH SPINACH
Replace parsley with 5 ounces baby spinach and continue to heat soup in step 3, stirring frequently, until spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes.

HEARTY LENTIL SOUP WITH FRAGRANT SPICES
Add 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne along with garlic. Substitute lemon juice for balsamic vinegar and minced cilantro for parsley.