What is in a bowl of soup? I love all kinds and I love the idea of bundling up in a blanket and bringing my steaming bowl outside to enjoy in front of a roaring fire in these waning (hopefully!) days of winter. Two of my favorites are chicken soup and lentil soup. When anyone in my family is feeling rotten, felled either by a cold or a fight with a friend, I run out and buy a chicken to make soup. Or I forage in my pantry for lentils, chicken broth and vegetables to make red lentil soup.
Ready for Soup
Red Lentil Soup adapted from Epicurious.com
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped (1 cup)
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 1 cup chopped canned tomato
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 cup dried red lentils
- 4 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot and add onions. After a few minutes, add carrots and celery and cook until lightly golden. Stir in tomato, cumin, lentils, water, broth and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover pot and simmer at a low heat for about an hour, or until lentils are cooked and vegetables are soft. At this point, you can leave the soup with a chunky texture or puree it in a blender or food processor. Stir in additional salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Whatever kind of soup you love, lentil, vegetable or even ramen noodle soup, a hot bowl is the perfect lunch on a chilly Saturday afternoon. Light a fire in your Fire Pit, take a break from the early season yard work, and warm yourself with soup this weekend.
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