Pragmatic Cooking: Lentil Soup Your Way
One area where I have a significant amount of experience and knowledge is from-scratch cooking and baking.
And, thanks to the influence of my maternal grandmother (and the centuries of our Anabaptist ancestors who preceded us both), my years working in the kitchen of the Rochester Zen Center, and a good stretch of time working in the kitchen of a natural food store, a significant portion of that experience is specifically centered on feeding loads of people with simple, economical foods that nourish the body, mind, and spirit.
This has equipped me with some areas of knowledge that could be of interest and import to many folks nowadays. As a result, I have decided to occasionally share some recipes and ideas that arise from this well of experience.
One essential aspect of economical cooking is recognizing where there are opportunities to adapt a recipe to fit the items that you already have on-hand: as a result, I will incorporate possible alternatives for several ingredients in each recipe.
And yes: most every ingredient can be considered optional (although if you omit the lentils, it’s not lentil soup, and if you omit the water or broth, it’s not soup at all).
My hope is that this will inspire you to play with your food (while you make it, if not while you eat it)!
Even the suggested options for different ingredients are only a starting point: my hope is that seeing some of the listed alternatives will inspire you to explore even more.
And so, with no further ado: here’s a very adaptable recipe for lentil soup!
Lentil Soup Your Way
2 cups dried lentils, well rinsed
Brown, green, or red lentils are all options: see instructions for cooking time adjustments
8 cups water or broth
Motivated folks can wash and prep up the veggies and herbs that they’ll be using as the first step of the recipe, and then simmer the scraps that are left from doing that in salted water for at least 15 minutes and up to an hour. Strain out the solids, and you’re good to go with a homemade broth!
A bay leaf or three
3 tablespoons fat/oil of your choice
Butter, ghee, olive oil, or neutral-flavored oil of your choice; omnivores can use bacon grease or pan drippings, if they have any saved.
2 large yellow onions, diced or chopped
Or a cup or two of leeks, or green onions, or shallots, or walking onions, or wild onions, or wild garlic tops, or red onions… really, most any allium will do!
Including onion powder or granulated onion! FYI: one tablespoon of onion powder or granules is normally said to be equivalent to 1 medium onion.
Garlic, chopped: measured with your heart
I’ll be honest: If I have it on hand, I’m more likely than not to use a whole head of garlic (at least!) in a big ol’ pot of soup.
Regarding garlic powder or granulated garlic: 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder or granules is normally said to be equivalent to 2 cloves.
Two pounds of root vegetables, peeled or well scrubbed, then chopped in bite-sized pieces
Mix or match! Options include potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, rutabega (do always peel rutabegas), turnips, sunchokes….
Three or four celery ribs, with strings removed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
Or one small celeriac, peeled and chopped.
Or 1 teaspoon whole celery seeds.
Or 1-1/2 teaspoons of celery salt.
Herbs
Options that work great include parsley, cilantro, thyme, mint, dill, basil, and rosemary. Pick two or three that you have on-hand!
A tablespoon of chopped fresh herbs is approximately equivalent to a teaspoon of dried herbs; this varies a bit depending on how much moisture a given plant contains, but is a pretty good guideline.
Start with about a tablespoon each of any fresh herbs or a teaspoon each of any dried herbs. Taste and adjust after a few minutes of simmering time.
Spices
Options that work great include ground cumin, coriander, fennel, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Pick two or three that you have on-hand!
Start with 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of any that you are using (or 1/4 teaspoon if you’re using cloves: those friends are strong!). Taste and adjust after a few minutes of simmering time.
Juice and zest of one lemon
Or 2 tablespoons of vinegar of your choice.
Seasoning
Salt
Pepper(s): dried chiles and/or pepper flakes are a great option if you like your soup to have a bit of a kick to it!
MSG
Combine the water or broth, lentils, and bay leaves in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a slow simmer. Partially cover with a lid and allow to simmer until the lentils are fully softened (for brown or green lentils) or are starting to fall apart a bit (for red lentils). This can be as little as 15 minutes for red lentils or as long as an hour for green lentils; brown lentils are in between, usually taking about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet. Saute the onion with a little sprinkle of salt and a bit of pepper until it is translucent and starting to take on a golden color.
Add the garlic and the root vegetables, along with another sprinkle of salt and a little more pepper; saute for another 5 minutes or so.
Add the celery, herbs, and spices. Yep: don’t forget to season a bit now, too!
Add the veggies, herbs, and spices to the lentils and broth along with the lemon juice and zest; if necessary, add a bit more water or broth. Bring to a boil for just a minute, then lower to a simmer for another 10 minutes or so.
Taste and adjust seasoning. Allow to simmer a few minutes before each adjustment of herbs, spices, and seasonings; this gives the flavors a chance to meld a bit and makes sure you don’t accidentally throw the flavors out of balance with too much enthusiasm. ;-)
If desired, you can serve on top of steamed rice, or alongside a hunk of bread or pita, or with a chopped boiled egg on top.
Enjoy!
