Lentil Soup

We’re going back to the ‘70’s again!  About the time I was making those 6-week bran muffins, I was also making this beautiful lentil soup.  I think the 70’s was when I was really getting cranked up in the kitchen, mostly because the natural food movement was really picking up steam and I was on board!  We lived in a little craftsman cottage in Pasadena, Ca., with our 2 little girls (Thomas wouldn’t arrive for a few more years) and believe me, I was in my element.  Looking back now, I think the seeds of the life we live now were being planted back then.  I was baking our bread, making yogurt, filling jars and jars with baby food, homemade soups and stews, it was all from scratch, it was all organic, and it was awesome!  OK, I did get a little carried away…there was no white flour and no white sugar to be found in our house, but I eventually made peace with both of those fine ingredients.

All that to say, this lentil soup was born in that kitchen in the ‘70’s and has been a staple ever since.  I love this soup and make it often, and like many of the recipes I developed back in those days, it’s wonderfully nostalgic and comforting.  It’s a hearty soup; thick and chock full of nutritious goodness (bulghur wheat, barley, carrots, celery), perfect for lunch on a cold, wintry day, and satisfying enough for dinner with a slice or two of fresh-baked bread. 

So break out the BIG soup pot!  You’ll need one that holds at least 6 quarts.  Don’t be afraid...yes, it makes a lot, but it freezes wonderfully, and believe, me, it really doesn’t last that long.   

LENTIL SOUP

2/3 cup pink lentils*
1 ½ c reg. Lentils
½ cup med. Bulgur wheat
1/2 c barley
6 cups water
2 T butter
8 cups chicken broth
1 onion
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 t mint (optional)
3  carrots, shredded
3 stalks celery, sliced
Salt and pepper                                                      
Grated parmesan for serving
olive oil for drizzling

Place the lentils, barley and bulgur wheat in a large saucepan.  Cover with water by about 2 inches or so.  Add 2 teaspoons of salt, bring to a boil and cook for about a half hour.

Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, saute the onion, shallots and celery in the butter and some olive oil until soft.  Add the grated carrot and parsley and cook a few more minutes.  Add the chicken broth and lentil mixture.  Stir well and simmer 1-2 hours, adding more chicken stock if it gets too thick.

To serve, drizzle each bowl of soup with a little olive oil and then sprinkle with grated parmesan.

*If you can’t find pink lentils, just add another 2/3 cup of regular lentils to the pot.