Cretan farmer's soup with green lentils

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 100 g lentils, green, dried
• 600 g water
• 16 g beef broth, instant
• 4 m.-large tomato(s), fully ripe
• 1 m.-large onion(s), brown
• 4 medium-sized garlic cloves, fresh
• 1 m.-large potatoes, waxy
• 1 m.-sized carrot(s)
• 1 pepper, long, red, medium hot
• 1 small zucchini, green
• 1 small spring onion(s)
• 4 m.-large bay leaves
• 1 small cinnamon stick(s), approx. 5 cm long
• 4 cloves
• 1 tbsp rosemary, fresh or dried
• 1 tsp oregano, fresh or frozen
• ½ tsp allspice powder
• 1 tbsp gyro seasoning
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 30 g feta cheese
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp orange juice
• n. B. Salt and pepper to taste
• e.g. feta cheese
• n. B. Almond(s), white, sliced
• n. B. Celery greens, fresh

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 50 minutes

Wash all the fruit and vegetables. Remove the stems from the tomatoes, halve them lengthwise, and remove the green-white core. Halve each half lengthwise, then cut into thirds crosswise, and blend in a blender on high for 1 minute. Wash and drain the lentils. Halve the onion lengthwise, trim both ends, peel, and chop into small pieces. Trim both ends of the garlic cloves, peel, and roughly chop. Heat a 3-liter Dutch oven, add 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, and let it heat through. Add the onions and garlic and roast until the onions turn light brown. Deglaze with the cooking water and add the tomato juice from the blender. Add the green lentils, instant beef broth, and all the seasonings. Bring the contents to a simmer. Peel the potatoes, cut into walnut-sized pieces, and add to the Dutch oven. Peel the carrot, quarter it lengthwise, cut it crosswise into approximately 6 mm thick pieces, and add it to the saucepan. Cut the peppers crosswise into approximately 5 mm wide rolls and add them to the soup with the seeds. Simmer with the lid on for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, trim the bottom ends of the zucchini, halve it crosswise, quarter the bottom half lengthwise, and cut it crosswise into approximately 8 mm wide pieces. Wash the spring onions, cut the green and white stems into approximately 2 cm wide pieces, and cut the green leaf parts into approximately 1 cm wide rings. Set aside separately. Mix the feta cheese with the orange juice, red wine vinegar, and the remaining olive oil until smooth. Add the spring onion stem pieces and the zucchini pieces and simmer for 8 minutes. Season the broth with salt and black pepper to taste. Add the melted feta cheese, bring to a boil briefly, then add the green leafy parts of the spring onion. Ladle the soup into serving bowls, garnish with the appropriate ingredients, and serve with bread. Note: Cretans enjoy their soup quite thick. Additional water and instant beef broth may be needed to suit your taste.