Vegetarian Lentil Soup

This lentil soup, and I'm not sure where the recipe came from, is the one dish my mother made that my dad is nostalgic about. Yes, he requested that it be here, and no, she was not known for her cooking, though this and her hummus were real solid. It's high on the list of comfort foods for Lirra and me, and I'm pleased my children enjoy it as well.

Two poignant notes about this lentil soup. First, I asked my mom to make it the day after we brought Desmond home from the hospital. It was a somewhat trying experience. My mom didn't exactly behave herself on that day, nor the two days following. After some triangulation from my sister and aunt, she tried to be helpful, and I asked if she could make lentil soup.

So, and I'm pretty sure this is before she's even prepped the recipe, she tells me, "Bri... I don't remember how to make it." A confession like this, coming at that time, knowing that we had enjoyed this soup for almost two consecutive decades at her house was and is hard to believe. Somewhere between incomprehensible and unsettling. As you'll see, it's one of the simplest soups you can make, and there are really only several ways to ruin it. All that said, I believe I calmly instructed her to call and ask Lirra, who gracefully handled it.

If there's a problem with this soup, it's that it's not the prettiest soup, and is much improved with black lentils, instead of French green, which turn tan after cooking. But that's pretty much it's only fault. So my pictures weren't great, and scrolling through my photo album I found the picture you see here. It's my batch of lentil soup from the last week I saw my mom, in August 2023, which she requested, and I froze for her. And yes, I cried just recalling that, but I think it's an important point about making food and its role in the totemic moments of life and death.

skill level: easy, time to prep: 20 min, time to cook: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2.5-3 qts H2O or stock

• 5 cups vegetables, chopped equal parts (carrots / celery / onion)

• 1 can of crushed tomatoes or cherry tomatoes

• 1 tbsp dried thyme or herbs de provence

• 25 g garlic, crushed

• Juice of 2 lemons (approx. 1/2 cup)

• 1 tsp salt (kosher)

• 1/2 bunch Italian parsley to garnish

Optional:

• 5 g stemmed & chopped tarragon

• diced potato, skin on

• 21 g chopped cilantro stems

• bay leaf

1. Rinse the lentils. (N.B Every lentil recipe will ask you to inspect them, float them in water and pick out any debris. Honestly I think out of the two hundred or more times I've cooked with lentils I've found debris maybe twice, so that's best practices as no one likes eating pebbles. Plus dental work is expensive and can be traumatic.)

2. Add liquids, can of tomatos, and lentils to stock pot and bring to a boil then down to medium-low. (All stock, or as much as you have on hand, is preferable as it's a very simple soup and water alone doesn't offer flavor.) If using a bay leaf, chuck that in as well. (FYI I rarely if ever use them in this recipe.)

3. Meanwhile, dice the onions, and slice the celery and carrots into smaller pieces as equal in size as you have the patience/skill for.

4. When the lentils are still al dente, about 10 to 15 min into the process add all the chopped vegetables besides the garlic. Because beans, depending on their age and humidity, take varying cook times, this is my best guess, but essentially lentils cook very quickly and in the interest of avoiding supermushy beans, try to be on top of this. Add in the dried herbs as well and stir.

5. Test the veg after 10 minutes, and when they are cooked but have a bit of bite, add the garlic, lemon juice, and tarragon/cilantro stems, if using.

6. Correct for salt and pepper, acidity, and when soup reaches your desired level of done-ness, remove from heat, serve, and garnish with chopped Italian parsley and fresh ground pepper.

Lentil Soup, August 1, 2023. Tiverton, RI.