Lentil Soup

Brrrr! It’s gotten cold again! Give yourself courage during Winter’s Last Stand with some hearty lentil soup.

This recipe comes from a marketing brochure found inside of an All Clad 3.5-quart soup pot Dave and I received as a wedding present. The original recipe was created by Mark Strausman of Campagna Restaurant in NYC. I’ve tinkered with the ingredients a bit to suit our household. Ham and wine give this soup a rich, deep flavor; but if you don’t eat meat, try the “veggie” version below.

Ingredients:

1 pound small green “French” lentils

1 small onion, chopped fine

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 slice of good quality ham, cut into small cubes

½ cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon of a fresh savory herb like thyme or rosemary leaves, chopped fine

(or ½ teaspoon of dried thyme)

salt and pepper

1 quart chicken stock, plus one small can to thin soup later to your preference

Process:

In a deep soup pot with a lid, sauté the onions and garlic until translucent. Rinse the lentils in cold water and go over for “duds.” Add the rest to the soup pot and stir to coat the lentils in the onion mixture. Add the ham, wine and herbs and cook for a moment more. Next pour in one quart of the chicken stock and cover the pot so the lentils will cook down. Check on the soup occasionally and stir.

When the lentils are soft, the soup will have a thick “stewy” quality, sort of like dal from Indian restaurants. I like to eat it right then with some naan or rice. For a thinner soup, gradually add more chicken stock to suit your tastes.

Recipe makes six full servings.

Theme and Variations

To make a vegetarian lentil soup, omit the ham and add a half-cup of crushed tomatoes. Replace chicken stock with a vegetable broth and add a dash more of the spices.