Lentil soup
Lentil Soup
It’s a tradition in Italy to eat lentils (lenticchie) on New Year’s Eve (Capodanno). Lentils, with their coin-like shape, are considered to be symbolic of money. The more lentils you eat on Capodanno, the more prosperity and good luck you will have in the new year. This recipe for lentil soup is adapted from Marcella Hazan’s Italian food bible The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. It’s a perfect recipe for a New Year’s Eve party because it can be made in advance and can feed a crowd (you can double or triple the recipe to feed more people).
This New Year’s Eve I’m in New Zealand, camping down at the Rangitikei river with family. I’ll be making this lentil soup in advance to heat up over the campfire. Hopefully the prophecy is correct and next year will be a prosperous one!
Serves 4
Ingredients
45g butter
2 tbsp olive oil
100g diced pancetta or bacon
1 small onion
1 stick celery
1 small carrot
1 can chopped tomatoes
225g dried brown lentils
1 litre good quality beef stock or meat broth
3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
Method
First, finely chop the onion, celery and carrot. Put 25g of the butter and all the olive oil in a large pot, add the onion and pancetta, and turn the heat to medium-high. Sauté until the onion becomes a deep gold colour.
Add the celery and carrot and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the tomatoes and adjust the heat so that they bubble gently. Cook for about 25 minutes, stirring from time to time.
Wash the lentils in cold water and drain them. Add to the pot, stirring to coat them well, then add the beef stock, a pinch of salt, and some freshly ground black pepper.
Cover the pot, adjust the heat so that the soup cooks at a steady, gentle simmer, and stir from time to time. It will take about 45 minutes for the lentils to become tender, but each lot of lentils varies and some will absorb more liquid than others. If necessary, add more stock or water while cooking.
When the lentils are soft, add the remaining butter and stir in the grated parmesan. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
Serve topped with a little extra grated parmesan and some toasted bread.
