Pamela's Easy 10-minute Lentil Supper

Some of the staples I always try to have on hand are a few bags of imported French lentils (green or orange), a few carrots, celery, some fresh thyme, a box of chicken broth, some white vermouth, some cherry tomatoes, and a couple of ham hock in my freezer.

I cook this dish in my clay pot, but I'm sure it would come out well in a le crueset.

I just dump the bag of lentils in the pot (these bags of imported lentils are probably around 12 ounces, and I very much prefer the imported variety), throw in 1 large or two small ham hocks, slice a few carrots and about 1 1/2 celery, toss in a couple sprigs of thyme, a handful of cherry tomatoes, and then add 2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth, about 2 cups of vermouth and a cup or so of water. Add a little salt and pepper, then cover the whole thing and bake it at 400 for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. I check it periodically to make sure I have enough liquid, and if it seems like I need more I add some water.

There is a surprizing amount of tasty ham on the hocks and you can slice it up after the soup is done and add it back into the soup.

Serves 6-8