Lentil Soup

Here's one of our favorite soups.

It's a fairly recent addition to our menu, we first served it at our friends in Austin, Annamari and András, on one of our visits, it must have been a couple of years ago, I don't remember exactly when. But I do remember I loved Annamari's lentil soup so much, I just had to have the recipe. But then I didn't write it down, and by the time I got around to make it, I've already forgotten the exact ingredients, so I just reconstituted it from memory... It was not the same as hers, of course, some ingredients got probably left out, others added, the measures were approximate, too, but we liked my imperfect version quite a lot, so I just kept making it that way.

Here's what the recipe evolved into in my hands.

Ingredients for a large pot of soup that would serve 8-10 (I'm always making soup for several days):

2 tbs olive olive or vegetable oil
1 lb brown lentils (the ones with the shortest cooking time)
2 boxes of 32 oz chicken broth (use vegetable stock for a vegetarian version), extra water if necessary for desired consistency
1 large onion, diced
4-5 medium carrots, sliced or diced
3-4 stalks celery, sliced
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped or crushed
1.5 tsp paprika
1.5 tsp ground cumin (or to taste)
crushed pepper flakes (tot taste, optional)
a handful of cilantro and 1/2 lime for serving.

Preparation: In a large soup pot heat the olive oil, add onions and cook on medium until translucent (3-5 minutes), add carrots and celery and a little water, cook for a few minutes, then add lentils and cumin and pepper flakes, heat through, then add the chicken/vegetable broth and paprika. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until lentils and vegetables are almost done. Check a few times if it needs more water, lentils really soak up water. When lentils are almost done add the diced tomatoes and garlic, taste and adjust seasoning to taste (salt, pepper, cumin, paprika). Cook another 10-15 minutes, until lentils and vegetables are done. The soup should be thick (though not as thick as on my last attempt, when I used 1.5 lbs of lentil, which proved just a little bit too much). Serve with as much chopped cilantro as you like, and a good squeeze of lime. My husband serves it with a dash of smoky Spanish "pimenton".

Enjoy this hearty soup!