Austerity Soup

Our neighbor, Mary Coward, served this soup to a gathering of friends and we all asked for seconds!  Mary said this soup was a staple in the Cowards' early married "austerity" years and continues to bring warmth to their family and friends.  

Mary doesn't remember the origin of the recipe (maybe the lentil bag?).  What makes this lentil soup different from others is the lemon juice and zest added just before serving.

TIPS:  Mary likes to use home cooked vegetable stock, but Jane used boxed and it was still delicious.  Jane served it with a salad of dark greens, orange slices, toasted almond slices, and a drizzle of balsamic and with a loaf of good, crusty bread.

Preparation time:  about an hour

Quantity:  This recipe served 6 hungry adults.

Ingredients

2 T olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

2 cups (400 g) dried lentils (green or brown, rinsed)

1  14 oz can of crushed tomatoes

6 cups vegetable stock

1 T cumin (yes, one tablespoon)

1 T chili powder (yes, one tablespoon)

1 lemon (zest and juice)

1/4 t each of salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Cook onion for 1 minute, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add celery and carrot.  Cook 7-10 minutes or until softened and the onion is sweet.  Don't rush this essential step.
3. Add all remaining ingredients except the lemon, salt and pepper.  Stir.
4. Increase heat and bring to simmer.  You may get sudsy bubbles on the surface; scoop these off periodically and discard.  Place lid on and turn down heat to medium low, checking periodically for bubbles.  Simmer for 35-40 minutes or until lentils are soft.
5. Thicken soup by either using a stick blender for 2-3 whizzes or transferring 2 cups to a blender (cooling slightly before whizzing so you don't get an explosion).  You want to keep some chunks in the soup.  To adjust consistency, add water. [Jane added a fair amount.]
6. Season to taste.  Grate lemon rind and squeeze lemon juice just before serving.

Submitted by Jane Smith