QUING Parties at the Palace with LENTIL SOUP

Hearty, healthy, comforting, perfect. There's something about making - and eating - lentil soup that transcends time and place. It makes me think of home, far away towns I'd like to visit, relatives I wish had lived long enough to share a meal and conversation with me. Soup simmers, and so does the imagination. Gustare!

Lentil Soup

Based on  Marcella Hazan's recipe in Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking    Serves 8.

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
6 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
3 medium carrots, finely chopped
2/3 cup pancetta, or bacon, or prosciutto - slivered or shredded

2 cups Italian tomatoes, cut up, with their juice  (1/2 - 3/4 of a 28 oz can is fine)

16 ounce package of dried lentils, washed in cold water and drained
8 cups basic homemade meat broth, or 2 cups canned beef broth mixed with 6 cups water
Pinch of Salt

Freshly ground pepper

6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil and 3 tablespoons of the butter in a stockpot. Sauté onions and pancetta, stirring over medium heat until golden brown. (If you are more comfortable sautéing pancetta or bacon in a separate frying pan, do so. Brown it, drain it, and add to soup with lentils.)

Add chopped celery and carrots to onions. Continue sautéing for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the cut-up tomatoes and their juice. Cook uncovered, adjusting heat so they cook at a gentle simmer for about 25 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Add the lentils, stirring thoroughly to coat them. Add the broth, pinch of salt and a couple grindings of fresh pepper. Cover and cook at a steady simmer until the lentils are tender. Stir  from time to time. Cooking time is about 45 minutes, but it varies greatly, so, taste them! Also watch for lentils absorbing a lot of liquid. Add broth or water while cooking to keep the soup from getting too thick.

When lentils are cooked, stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter and the grated cheese. Serve with additional freshly grated cheese on the side. For even more flavor, add a leftover parmesan crust to the soup when you add the lentils. 

ADDING RICE: My kids love lentil soup with rice. So do I! Once the lentils are cooked, add 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup of beef broth (or 1 1/2 cups of homemade broth) to the simmering soup. Bring soup to a boil and add 1/2 cup of rice; Brown or Arborio. Cook at a moderate boil, stirring occasionally and adding more broth or water if necessary, until rice is cooked. 20-25 minutes. Stir 1 tablespoon of butter into the soup before serving.