Lentil Sausage Soup

As the temperature plummets and snow flurries fill the skies, it's time to break out the soup recipes. I made this Ina Garten recipe for dinner the other night. It's a variation of basic ham and lentil soup. Decidedly delicious!

LENTIL SAUSAGE SOUP

1 lb French green lentils (recommended: du Puy)
1/4 c olive oil, plus extra for serving
4 c diced yellow onions (3 large)
4 c chopped leeks, white and light green parts only (2 leeks)
1 tbs minced garlic (2 large cloves)
1 tbs kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbs minced fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp ground cumin
3 c medium diced celery (8 stalks)
3 c medium diced carrots (4 to 6 carrots)
3 qts chicken stock (I used 2 1/2 qts)
1/4 c tomato paste
1 lb kielbasa, cut in 1/2 lengthwise and sliced 1/3" thick
2 tbs dry red wine or red wine vinegar
Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain.

In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and saute the onions, leeks, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are translucent and tender. Add the celery and carrots and saute for another 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, and drained lentils, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, or until the lentils are cooked through and tender. Check the seasonings. Add the kielbasa and red wine and simmer until the kielbasa is hot.Serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmesan.

Ribollita

Ribollita, an "Everyday Italian" recipe, is a spin on hearty vegetable soup. Although it's full of veggies, the olive oil and pancetta lend it a savory heartiness. You probably already have the ingredients for it in your pantry and freezer! I made many ingredient substitutions (as noted in parentheses), but this recipe is very flexible and you can fine tune it according to your palate. My father makes a similar tomato-based vegetable soup; his mother handed the recipe down to him.

I refrigerated the leftover soup and reheated it for lunch the next day. This would also keep well frozen for up to a month.RIBOLLITA

makes 6 to 8 servings

1/4 c extra virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling on bread
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped (I cut up baby carrots)
4 oz pancetta, chopped (I used a little less)
2 cloves garlic, 1 minced and 1 whole
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbs tomato paste
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 lb frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (I used frozen petite peas)
1 (15 oz) can cannelloni beans, drained (I used frozen corn that had been sliced off the cob)
1 tbs herbs de Provence (I added thyme, marjoram, and basil to taste)
3 c chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 (3") piece Parmesan rind (I added a few tsp of grated Parmesan to taste)
4 to 6 ciabatta rolls, halved lengthwise or 1 loaf, sliced
Grated Parmesan, for serving

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, pancetta, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook until the onion is golden brown and the pancetta is crisp, about 7 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir until dissolved. Add tomatoes and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the brown bits. Add the spinach, beans, herbs, stock, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Drizzle the ciabatta halves with olive oil. Toast until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and rub the top of the toasts with the whole garlic clove. Place the toasts in the serving bowls and ladle the soup over the toasts. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve immediately.

Tom Yum Koong

This spring, I took a Thai cooking class with my friend Emily, so the following recipe comes courtesy of the Thai Cultural Club at my alma mater. If you're not familiar with it, tom yum--also known as tom yam or dom yam--is a signature Thai soup that is popular the world over. It has an unusual taste: due to the tom yum paste, the broth is hot, spicy, and sour. You can also make this soup with chicken or mixed seafood instead of shrimp. Really, you can adjust a lot of the ingredients according to your personal preference. Experiment!

Tom yum paste is composed of oil and seasonings like lemongrass, lime juice, kaffir lime leaves, tamarind, galangal, chili peppers, shallots, and fish sauce. It's very potent; a little goes a long way. You may need to look for tom yum paste at a local Asian food store.

TOM YUM KOONG

serves 2-3 people

1 1/2 c chicken broth
1 1/2 tbs tom yum paste
1 tbs garlic
1/2 of a lemongrass stem
4 dried bay leaves
2 cloves of shallot
1 handful of mushrooms
6 or more large shrimp
4 tbs evaporated milk
1 tbs fish sauce
1 1/2 tbs lime juice
Fresh chopped cilantro leaves (optional)

Heat the chicken broth on high heat until it boils. Add the tom yum paste, garlic, lemongrass, bay leaves, and shallots, and stir. Reduce to medium heat. Wait 3 minutes before adding the mushrooms, fish sauce, and lime juice. Add the shrimp and additional fish sauce according to your taste. Let the shrimp cook for no longer than 30 seconds. Ladle the soup and sprinkle it with chopped cilantro leaves, if desired.