Lentil Vegetable Soup

When I was growing up in Pennsylvania, my next door neighbors were of Italian descent, and because they had a daughter my age, I spent a lot of time at their house. Mary was the best cook this side of Naples and I made it a habit to stop by most nights after dinner, just to help them dispose of their left-overs. I was like one of the family, so it wasn't a big deal and Mary was really happy to oblige, because she knew that my mother wasn't the best cook on the block. My dear mom was not only English, but also a nurse, so her meals were healthy and boring to say the least.

This is where I acquired my passion for Italian food and my obsession for olives. Her spaghetti sauce definitely did not come from a can, and she put it on everything from pasta to chicken and steak. She actually made cakes from scratch and pizzelles that I still dream about. Sadly, one thing that I would never eat was her lentil soup. My sister loved it and Mary would always send some over when she made it, which seemed like every week. It looked gross to me, like something that belonged in another room in the house, so I wouldn't even try it. In retrospect, if she had added black olives to it, I would have chowed it down. A few year ago, I finally tasted lentil soup at a friends house and fell in love with it. (Only I could fall in love with a soup.) Ever since then I have been been making it on a regular basis, because you have to admit that anything this cheap and healthy is a no-brainer.

This is my favorite recipe from the Barefoot Contessa. I make a few changes to it, including adding some curry powder, using a whole can of chopped tomatoes instead of the tomato paste, and sometimes adding chicken sausage, which makes it not vegetarian. I borrowed a photo from another site. Since I am not a food stylist, it is not very appetizing when I photograph it. I promise you this is the best lentil soup ever and if you make it, you will love me for it. It is good with some bread and a salad.

Lentil Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

1 pound French green lentils
4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large onions)
4 cups chopped leeks, white part only (2 leeks)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1/4 cup good olive oil, plus additional for drizzling on top
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cups medium-diced celery (8 stalks)
3 cups medium-diced carrots (4 to 6 carrots)
3 quarts chicken stock
1/4 cup tomato paste (I use a 14 oz can of chopped tomatoes instead)
2 tablespoons red wine or red wine vinegar
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain. In a large stockpot on medium heat, saute the onions, leeks, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are translucent and very tender. Add the celery and carrots and saute for 10 more minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, and lentils. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, until the lentils are cooked through. Check the seasonings. Add the red wine and serve hot, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmesan. Maybe a little sour cream and chives if you prefer.