LENTIL SPINACH SOUP
This is a great dinner party soup. I serve sausages on the side and they can be cut up and put into the soup for leftovers. I serve Italian Sausages, chicken sausages [with feta and spinach] and field roast, which is fake sausage. It was 27 degrees outside tonight and my guests enjoyed the heartiness of the meal. Served with salad and focaccia which I started at 10 in the morning. There was plenty of time for the bread to rise and the soup to simmer. Not a lot of work and a lovely meal. I doubled the recipe to feed 9 people. The Soup 1 cup green or brown lentils cleaned and rinsed 1 bay leaf 1 celery stalk diced into 1/4 inch squares 7 cups of water salt 3 Tbsp. olive oil 1 large red onion finely diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 Tbsp. parsley, chopped 3 medium tomatoes, fresh or canned, peeled, seeded and chopped, juice reserved 1 bunch spinach, [about a pound] stems removed and leaves washed Red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar to taste Pepper Asiago or Parmesan cheese, grated
Put the lentils, bay leaf and celery in a soup pot with the water, reserved juice from the tomatoes and 1/2 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil and scoop off any foam that forms on the surface, then lower the heat to slow boil. While the lentils are cooking, heat the oil in a skillet and add the onion and 1/2 tsp. salt: cook briskly for a few minutes, lower the heat and stir in garlic and parsley. Continue cooking until the onion is soft. Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes, then combine with the cooking lentils.
Cut the spinach leaves into 1/2 inch strips, there should be about 4 cups. When the lentils are soft, stir in the spinach by handfuls. Once it has cooked down, thin the soup, if necessary, by adding more water, and taste for salt.
Simmer the soup 5 minutes; then add vinegar to taste, to brighten the flavors. Serve with freshly ground black pepper and Asiago or Parmesan cheese, or a spoonful of creme fraiche.
Serves 4-6
[From The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison and Edward Espe Brown]