New Year's Day: Lentil Soup

New Year’s Day 2009

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well."

-- Virginia Woolf


Ingredients for Hearty Lentil Soup

(Serves 6-8 people abundantly)


1 lb. lentils, washed and sorted
1 lb of pork filet
1 lb of lean ground beef—
1 small package of small carrots, sliced fat
1 sweet potato, cut small
1 yellow fleshed potato, (may use white), cut small
1 yanga, as in very large onion, chopped
1 small bunch of celery hearts with leaves, chopped
1-2 zucchini, quartered
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
½ glass white wine
broth or water—as much as it takes…4-6 cups or so
Hot pepper, if desired
3 slices of thick-cut bacon
Salt to taste—use less if you use bullion cubes or broth.
1 17 oz can of tomato sauce –or 4 fresh tomatoes, skinned
2 tablespoons of flour (to roll the meatballs in)

You may make this without the meat…and it’s very delish!

In a hug pot, heat some olive oil and fling in the cut up pork and brown.
When just about finished, toss in the cut up bacon and fry till desired crispness. Add wine, and let the alcohol burn off.

Add the lentils and broth to cover, and then bring to a boil. For 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let them rest for an hour…in the meantime you are cutting the other veggies, and making the tiny meatballs.

I make tiny meatballs with seasoning, breadcrumbs and grated cheese—no eggs, no onions, no bread. Easy, fast and yummy for soups. Roll in flour.

When the lentils have rested, add more water or broth. Turn heat to medium, and dump in all the veggies…when the veggies are done to your liking, add the meatballs to the soup and cook for about 10 minutes. Turn the soup off and serve with fresh bread or bruschetta. Or do what I did. I made it the day before and then heated if for dinner so I wouldn’t be “cooking” for New Year’s…merely heating up the warm and wundebar soup.

We had a brunch of bagels, cream cheese and lox with capers and tomatoes and onions for garnish. I had made a tomato pie, which I just reheated and voilà! New Year’s brunch! An excellent meal. Felipe opened champagne. Everyone was free to take a walk, a nap, go shopping, watch football, and in the evening before dinner we saw the movie Traitor. I recommend it. The acting was superb.
I must say, you can check out my recipe for tomato pie—but I’ve altered it and like it better…(see achieves)
The oregano and the basil I put on top of the tomatoes…and the onions I no longer use raw—but wilt them in butter…scrumptious!