To promote my upcoming release of DAYS OF WINE AND ROQUEFORT, I'm doing a book giveaway today. See below for details!
I know the
country has gone through an amazing winter so far, and there’s more COLD to
come. Ugh. So sorry for all of you who might have suffered thus far.
When I lived
in Connecticut and was facing shoveling snow and “lovely” (read: messy) slushy/cold/icy walks
with my dogs, I wanted warm food. For breakfast, lunch, and
dinner.
Because soup
is an iffy prospect for a celiac at a restaurant (most chefs use wheat flour in
their roux), I rarely order soup out; therefore, I make it at home a lot. I have
some good soup cookbooks. One of my favorites is from William and Sonoma. It
has a great mushroom soup recipe in it. I also browse magazines for new soup
recipes.
However, honestly,
I can’t remember where I found this recipe for lentil soup. Sorry. My mind this
month is a blank. I’ve been so overwrought with writing a book that’s due
February 1st and doing PR for my two upcoming releases in February and March,
not to mention having a new puppy in the house and constant houseguests since
Thanksgiving, I’m simply blank when it comes to anything that is not essential.
I cooked it;
we devoured it. I’m simply not sure where I got it.
But I’m
going to share it anyway because, for those who know me, it’s been tweaked,
which means it is not exactly like the recipe from which I must have borrowed.
I certainly couldn’t have concocted this one on my own. LOL
LENTIL SOUP WITH PARMESAN
Ingredients:
(serves 6)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped (1/2 cup)
2 celery stalks, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
10 grinds of a peppermill
1 ½ cups diced tomatoes (14 ½ ounce can)
1 pound lentils (about 1 ½ cups), uncooked
8 cups chicken broth (gluten-free
for those who need it to be so)
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2/3 cup dried elbow pasta, uncooked (gluten-free for those who need it to be so)
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions:
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Ad the onion,
carrots, and celery. Add the garlic, salt and pepper and sauté all until the
vegetables are tender, 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes (with their juices). Simmer
until the tomatoes evaporate a tad, about 5 minutes. Add the lentils and stir.
Add the broth and stir. Add the thyme and bring mixture to boil over high heat.
   
Cover and simmer over low-low heat until the lentils are tender,
about 30 minutes. Stir in the pasta. Simmer until the pasta is cooked, about 8
minutes.
Ladle the soup into six bowls.
Sprinkle generously with Parmesan
cheese. Serve hot.
(Reheats great!)
What's your favorite cold-weather meal?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * |
I'm giving away your choice of one of the first four Cheese Shop mysteries or FINAL SENTENCE, the first in the Cookbook Nook mysteries. Plus some fun swag!
**********************************
Also…I and three of my blogmates, Meg, Sheila, and Lucy are offering a giveaway on Facebook with books and more, in anticipation of all of our releases the first week of February. The contest runs through January 31st. Click the photo below to check it out.
* * * * * * * * *
Lastly, remember to sign up for my mailing list/newsletter.
There's going to be a launch giveaway on February 1!
******************
I had never met a lentil until I saw Julia Child cook them on The French Chef (baked with sausage--I've long since substituted kielbasa). But you're bang on--they make a nice hearty soup for a cold winter day. (See me avoid shoveling snow!)
ReplyDeleteAvoid the snow. Nothing worse than shoveling it. Playing in it? Fine! Love it.
Daryl / Avery