Lentil Soup
What’s better than a hearty soup on a crisp Autumn evening? Personally, I gravitate toward soups that border on stews in their consistency and offer a full meal in their own right. This recipe calls for French green lentils, but you can substitute if you don’t have those on hand. You’ll note that not all measurements are exact, as I believe you can play with the flavors in soups to your liking. This lentil soup utilizes the smokiness of cumin, combined with the acid of tomatoes and red wine, to create a warming lunch or dinner on a chilly day.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 cup French green lentils
14 ounces of crushed tomatoes
6 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
1 tbsp of tomato paste
1 medium sized yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2-3 stalks of celery, halved and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced or grated
1 dried bay leaf
1-2 tsp of cumin (to taste)
1 tsp of dried thyme
1 tsp of dried parsley
A splash of merlot or other full bodied red
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
Rinse the lentils and set aside.
In a soup pot or Dutch oven, heat a bit of olive oil over medium heat.
Add in onion, celery and carrots and sauté until softened.
Add in garlic and then tomato paste. Stir to incorporate and allow to sauté for a minute.
Add in the wine and allow the alcohol to cook off for a minute or so. Then add crushed tomatoes and their juices.
Next, add in the chicken stock, bay leaf, cumin, thyme and parsley. Stir and add salt and pepper to your liking as well.
Add in the lentils and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a strong simmer and allow to cook, uncovered for about an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. Stir occasionally. If you find too much liquid evaporating you can add in more broth or water.
Once cooked, remove from the heat, remove the bay leaf, and purée two ladlefuls of soup in a food processor. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender.
Return the purée to the pot and stir to incorporate.
Serve hot, topped with a little grated Parmesan or pecorino. Enjoy!
