Something Old . . .
The recent cool weather gave me the perfect excuse to make one of our favorite comfort foods: lentil soup. I’ve made it so many times over the years that it has long been without a given recipe. During our years on the Oregon coast most of the veggies came directly out of our year-round garden. This time I made it with the following ingredients:
1 ½ pounds lentils (soaked over night and rinsed thoroughly)
½ pound ham cubed (bacon can be used instead)
½ chopped onion
3 minced garlic cloves
3 ribs chopped celery
3 chopped carrots
1-2 cups chicken broth (depending on desired thickness of the soup)
salt to taste (optional)
2 diced potatoes (optional)
olive oil
sour cream and parsley for garnish
Begin by sautéing the onions and garlic in a soup kettle until soft. Add ham, carrots, and celery and sauté for about three more minutes. (That carrot, celery, onion combo, Ol’ Mick’s Southern trinity, is a standard starting point for many of our soups and stews). Add the lentils and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Simmer the soup for a few hours until the lentils are cooked. Potatoes may be added and cooked until soft. A dollop of sour cream and a sprig of parsley make a nice presentation when the soup is served.
We like our lentil soup on the thick side, almost like a porridge. We have served it for lunches and dinners and, Friday morning before visiting family cemetery plots, a filling, very satisfying breakfast.
Dogg & Katt
Longtime educators in Chicago, Oregon, and Alaska, relocating to Woodland, Washington in 2004 to be closer to family. NanKatt gardens and tries to keep Dogg, who mostly just golfs and lazes around, in line. Have one old big dog, Kiita, and three housecats who view us as waitstaff when not engrossed in watching our abundant backyard wildlife or sleeping. NPR, jazz music, sports, and "Chopped" define our listening/viewing habits, while a deep appreciation of the written word, any written word, occupies much of our unscheduled time.