Lentil Soup with Bacon

1. Using kitchen shears, snip bacon into small bits into a large Dutch oven. Fry on medium-high heat until bacon is almost done. Add onions, celery, carrots and garlic. Saute until vegetables begin to brown, about 15 minutes.

2. Add 3 cans of the beef broth, lentils, red wine, tomatoes with juice, bay leaf, thyme, tarragon and vinegar and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer with the lid on until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.

3. Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Return puree to the soup in the Dutch oven. Thin soup with the remaining broth adding it by 1/2 cupfuls until desired consistency is attained. Season with salt and pepper and remove bay leaf.

4. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with chopped celery leaves if desired.