Lentil Soup
One of the first things you learn when you begin to cook is that soups are easy to make. You then find out that soups made from beans and legumes are the easiest to make. You find out further that soups made from beans and legumes are also a meal unto themselves. It is not necessary to cook anything else to go with them.
My favorite is lentil soup. With a slice of bread it probably packs more fiber and protein than any other type of food. It also leaves you full but not sleepy. There are many variations on a theme. The following is my favorite version.
- 1 cup green lentils
- 6 oz of smoked sausage, cut into rounds
- 2 cans (14 oz) of chicken broth, or about 4 cups of broth
- 1/2 cup diced celery, 2 small or 1 large stock
- 1/2 cup diced carrot, 1 medium size carrot
- 1/2 cup diced sweet pepper, 1/2 pepper
- 1/2 cup diced red onion, 1/2 medium size onion
- 2 cloves garlic finely diced or put through a garlic press
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 to 4 sprigs of thyme
- 1/2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 1/2 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
In a dutch oven or large pot add the olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Add the celery, carrot, pepper, onion, and bay leaf and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for two more minutes.
Add the chicken broth, the sausage, the lentils and the thyme to the pot. Heat to a simmer, cover and reduce the heat to allow the soup to simmer for about 30 minutes. The lentils should be al dente not mushy. Add the cilantro and parsley and allow to heat through for a couple of minutes. (On occasion I also add about a teaspoon of hot sauce.) Check for salt and pepper and add as needed.
This makes 4 dinner size servings. If you are serving as an appetizer it could stretch to 6 servings. You can make this ahead and reheat. It actually is a better soup when served the next day.