Nanny’s Vegetable Lentil Soup

Ingredients

Nanny’s Vegetable Lentil Soup
by Chef Patricia DeMauro

Preparation

1. Place dry lentils in a strainer and rinse under cold water. Rinse carrots and potatoes under cold water and pat dry with paper towels; then peel and dice them. Dice onions and garlic. Coarsely chop spinach and kale. Place each diced and chopped vegetables in individual small dishes and set aside.
2. In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the oil. Add diced onions and garlic, heat them for 2 minutes until the onions are translucent and garlic is cooked. Be careful that you do not burn the garlic. Add parsnips, celery, carrots, potatoes, to the cooked onions and garlic. Stir the vegetables. If additional oil is needed, add it now, then heat the oil and continue to cook vegetables as noted below.
3. Place lid on the pot and continue to cook vegetables for 10 – 15 minutes. Cooked vegetables should be tender not mushy. When the vegetables are tender, add the vegetable broth and water, then add the dry lentils and bring liquids to a rapid boil. Cover the pot with a lid and continue to cook on rapid boil for 15 – 20 minutes. Stir often. Then lower the heat to reduce the rapid boil to a gentle simmer. If needed, add additional warm water and bring liquids back to a gentle simmer.
4. Add seasonings. Thyme, sage, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Add chopped spinach and kale. Place a cover on the pot and cook on a simmer for 10 minutes. When soup is cooked, top it with chopped tender celery greens or fresh chopped parsley.

Serves 4-6 people

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