• Heat a medium dry pan over medium-high heat. Add bacon*; cook, turning occasionally and adjusting heat if browning too quickly, until crispy, 6-10 minutes. TIP: If your bacon is lean, add a drizzle of oil to the pan to help crisp it. • Turn off heat; transfer to a paper-towel- lined plate. Reserve any bacon fat in a small bowl for use in Step 5. Once cool enough to handle, roughly chop bacon.

• While bacon cooks, wash and dry produce. • Trim, peel, and dice carrots into 1⁄4-inch pieces. Strip half the thyme leaves (all for 4 servings) from stems; roughly chop leaves.

• Heat a drizzle of oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and slightly softened, 3-4 minutes. • Stir in lentils and their liquid, chopped thyme, garlic powder, stock concentrates, Vidalia onion paste, and 3⁄4 cup water (11⁄2 cups for 4 servings). Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook until carrots are tender and flavors have melded, 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat.

• While soup cooks, halve and toast ciabattas. Spread with garlic herb butter; halve on a diagonal.

• Stir 1 TBSP plain butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) into pot with soup and gently mash about half the lentils with the back of a wooden spoon. TIP: If you have any reserved bacon fat, stir in as much as you like for added flavor. • Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.

• Divide soup between bowls; top with Parmesan and bacon. Serve with garlic toasts on the side. Bacon is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 145°.