Lentil Vegetable Soup

Until about 9 months ago, I had never even tried lentils. The reason I know the exact time is that it was the night my husband and I came home from the hospital with our new baby boy. It had snowed that day, strange for living in the bayou, and was surprisingly cold and wet feeling. Our power had been out all day from the snow and we had arrived home only hours after it being restored. Needless to say, we were exhausted and just wanted to snuggle in for the night and try to get what little rest we could. A friend had brought dinner over and, maybe it was because I had been eating hospital food or maybe because I was recovering from a long labor or maybe just because it felt good to be in my own bed, but it was the BEST meal I ever had. What made it especially delicious was a fabulous lentil soup, full of vegetables and broth like I had never tasted before.

Months later, I asked my friend where she found the recipe and she didn't remember much about the soup, except to say that she probably just put together all the leftover veggies in her fridge with broth and the lentils. I was terribly sad not to have a specific recipe and ever since then have wanted to find something as tasty and filling. The soup recipe below has a great layer of flavors. The recipe is one of the few I have actually followed exactly. It comes from my fav food network cook, Barefoot Contessa. Don't make the mistake of leaving any of the ingredients out and be sure to add the drizzle of olive oil and red wine vinegar. I served this with a crusty baguette and froze half of the leftovers. If you want a more mild cumin flavor, add only half a teaspoon. Otherwise, don't change a thing!

Lentil Vegetable Soup

Ingredients


* 1 pound French green lentils (You can substitute regular lentils. I found green ones at Whole Foods)
* 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 salt
* 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
* 1 teaspoon dried thyme
* 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
* 2 tablespoons 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.