Today's soup recipe: Hearty lentil soup, slow cooked right in the oven at a low heat. A great option for anyone who doesn't have a slow cooker.
Does this soup look worth trading, say, for apple pie?
That was the deal, a piece of American Apple Pie for the recipe for this oven-cooked lentil soup, all in fun, of course, since the recipe holder (hi, Rass!) was getting pie anyway and the pie-maker (me) often swaps recipes with Rass and his wife, dear family friends for more than 50 years.
And Rass' lentil soup is a good one! It takes some knife work to get started, then is left in the oven for a perfect five hours. What comes out is perfectly cooked, hot and hearty, steamy and spicy, utterly delicious. It's perfect for cold winter days.
MAKE IT A MEAL Soup and hot bread, yes? Think about pairing the lentil soup with Weeknight-Easy Rolls.
OVEN-COOKED LENTIL SOUP
Hands-on time: 30 minutes
Time to table: 5 1/2 hours
Makes 10 cups
Time to table: 5 1/2 hours
Makes 10 cups
1/2 pound smoked ham, cubed
1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, cut in small cubes (the bacon in my fridge was iffy so I skipped it, but know from tasting Rass' own soup that bacon contributes to the soup's heartiness)
2 tablespoons olive oil (I'd recommend skipping this if using the bacon but Rass cooks the bacon in the oil)
1 large onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 green pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 carrots, sliced thin in 'coins'
14 ounces canned diced tomato
14 ounces canned tomato sauce
1 cup red wine (Rass fills one of the cans halfway, then sploshes it around to rinse)
1 cup lentils (Rass uses brown lentils which are softer and a little bit creamier, I used what was on hand, black lentils from Trader Joe's which are 'meatier' and hold their shape better but are less creamy)
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon marjoram
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon dried parsley (I skipped this)
Salt & pepper to taste
4 cups beef bouillon (I had some beef broth on hand, mixed it with chicken)
Turn oven to 250F.
In a large oven-safe pot such as a Dutch oven, start cooking the bacon, add the onion, celery, green pepper and garlic as they're prepped, stirring often to distribute the fat. Then, as Rass says, "Chuck everything into the kettle, stir it up and put into the oven (covered) for five hours."
Hmmm. As I read his instructions carefully now, I realize that Rass doesn't cook the onion-celery-etc with the bacon but instead cooks the bacon on its own, then "chucks the rest in". Rass makes a mean lentil soup, you won't go wrong with his method!
MORE LENTIL RECIPES
~ Lentil Salad with Tomatoes, Dill & Basil ~
from A Veggie Venture
~ Two-Way Lentil Skillet ~
~ Lentil Soup Vincent ~
from Kitchen Parade
~ Lentil Salad with Tomatoes, Dill & Basil ~
from A Veggie Venture
~ Two-Way Lentil Skillet ~
~ Lentil Soup Vincent ~
from Kitchen Parade
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