From Daryl aka Avery:
It’s
autumn and I love soup. I love how you can put something together with whatever
you have on your shelves or in your refrigerator. Got veggies and leftover
chicken? Add some herbs and broth and, ta-da,
a meal!
In
my recent travels on the Internet, I learned that the word “restaurant” is sort
of derived from soup, or rather a bowl of broth. The French used to sell something like a
bowl of broth called a “restorative” in the 1500s. It was to cure exhaustion. Then in 1765, someone opened a shop that
specialized in bowls of soup, and voila, the word “restaurant” became the place
to sit down and eat to get “restored.”
Yep,
that’s what soup does for me. It restores.
Even cooking it restores me. I love the aromas, the steam, the tasty sips.
As
for this soup that I’m sharing today, I love lentil soup not just because of the
flavor but also because of the food value. Raw lentils have 25% protein in
them! By the way, lentils
have been part of the human diet since Neolithic times. They were one of the
first domesticated crops in the Near East.
[Man, I love trivia for “ten” on the Internet.]
So
where do your soup recipes come from? Have they been handed down through your
family? Or do you remember them from a visit to a special restaurant?
FYI, I
remember a great soup I had in New Orleans that I recreated with Brie and
shrimp! Here’s the link for that soup! Brie Shrimp Soup
Also
perfect for the holidays: Pumpkin Gruyere Soup
Leek and Lentil Soup
Serves 2
2 tablespoons butter
1 leek, white portion only, diced
3 cups chicken broth, more if necessary
1 cup lentils (raw)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoon chives, for garnish
2 tablespoon chives, for garnish
In large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced leeks and sauté until they
begin to soften, about 3-5 minutes.
Add the broth and lentils, bring to a boil,
reduce the heat to low, over and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 40
minutes. If necessary, add more broth.
Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Ladle into bowls
and garnish with chives.
Yes, of course you can add chicken or some other meat to this to make it more stew-like. Feel free to tweak as necessary! I love it plain and simple.
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Oooo, I love lentils! All legumes, really. And the recipe for Brie Shrimp Soup? Where do I begin?! Thanks for sharing these great recipes!
ReplyDeleteAmanda, I'm glad you clicked through. That shrimp soup is divine! :) ~ Daryl
DeleteLovely simplicity.
ReplyDeleteAnd no herbs or spices? Interesting.
The leeks add all the flavor you need! ~ Daryl
DeleteI love leeks. I made a pot of chicken leek soup with barley for dinner tonight. I also like lentil soup although I usually make one with red lentils and Moroccan spices.
ReplyDeleteSandy, that sounds lovely! Moroccan spices would be fabulous. ~ Daryl
DeleteI used to make a leek soup years ago when we were first married. I think it had beer in it. I'll have to give this a try since we have a package of lentils that have been sitting around forever.
ReplyDeletePat
i love hamburger soup! ground beef, elbow macaroni, stewed tomatoes, carrots, green beans, corn
ReplyDelete