Whitewater Lemony Lentil Soup

mmm.. this soup is simple but so tasty!  It comes from the fabulous Whitewater Cooks Cookbook.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups lentils (they say red ones, but I've done this with red, puy, brown and various combinations thereof)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 tsp salt
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp red chili flakes (yes, it's got just a little bit of kick)
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• juice of 2 lemons
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 tsp fresh dill, chopped (dry is perfectly good too)

Method:

1. Rinse the lentils in a colander and set aside to drain.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot; add onions and saute until translucent.
3. Add carrots, garlic, salt, pepper, chili flakes, rosemary, oregano, and bay leaves.
4. Stir well and saute until the carrots are tender.
5. Add the stock and the lentils and bring to a boil. 
6. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 25 minutes or until the lentils are soft.
7. Meanwhile, mix the crumbled feta and dill in a small bowl and set aside for garnish.
8. Remove the bay leaves. You may puree the soup or leave it as is (I've never pureed it).
9. Add the lemon juice, zest, and salt and pepper to taste.
10.  To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with feta/dill topping.