fat-free!
I used ham stock but I have some lamb bones in the freezer that are destined for the next pot. The soup was a little thin the first night and could have used more lentils, but the leftovers were a perfect consistency. Don't skip the turnips! They make the soup.
LENTIL SOUP
from The Way to Cook by Julia Child
6 cups lamb broth, or beef stock or ham stock
1/2 cup lentils, picked over and washed
1/2 cup each: diced onions, turnips and carrots
A medium herb bouquet, plus a small handful of celery leaves and 2 large garlic cloves (i put in a branch of thyme, a stalk of celery, a bay leaf and the garlic, and fished them out before serving.)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 or 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, juiced and sliced (I used about 4 canned plum tomatoes)
Slices of lemon, optional
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
In a 3-quart saucepan, combine all ingredients except the tomatoes, lemon and parsley, bring to the simmer, and skim off surface scum. Simmer partially covered until vegetables and lentils are tender. Discard herb bouquet. Taste, and correct seasoning.
*May be cooked a day or two in advance to this point. Cover and refrigerate when cool.
Bring to the simmer, add the tomato pulp and simmer a moment more. Correct seasoning again. Ladle into not wide soup plates; serve with the optional lemon and a sprinkling of parsley.
I used ham stock but I have some lamb bones in the freezer that are destined for the next pot. The soup was a little thin the first night and could have used more lentils, but the leftovers were a perfect consistency. Don't skip the turnips! They make the soup.
LENTIL SOUP
from The Way to Cook by Julia Child
6 cups lamb broth, or beef stock or ham stock
1/2 cup lentils, picked over and washed
1/2 cup each: diced onions, turnips and carrots
A medium herb bouquet, plus a small handful of celery leaves and 2 large garlic cloves (i put in a branch of thyme, a stalk of celery, a bay leaf and the garlic, and fished them out before serving.)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 or 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, juiced and sliced (I used about 4 canned plum tomatoes)
Slices of lemon, optional
2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
In a 3-quart saucepan, combine all ingredients except the tomatoes, lemon and parsley, bring to the simmer, and skim off surface scum. Simmer partially covered until vegetables and lentils are tender. Discard herb bouquet. Taste, and correct seasoning.
*May be cooked a day or two in advance to this point. Cover and refrigerate when cool.
Bring to the simmer, add the tomato pulp and simmer a moment more. Correct seasoning again. Ladle into not wide soup plates; serve with the optional lemon and a sprinkling of parsley.