Lentil Soup With Kale

Yield: 4 – 6 servings
Time: 1 hour

Classic lentil soup, delicious.  Add shredded parm on top!

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth, as needed
• 1 cup lentils
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup chopped onions, divided
• 1/2 cup finely diced smoked pork, ham, or bacon (optional)
• 1 ham hock (optional)
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups packed, coarsely chopped kale (or Swiss chard, collard greens, or spinach)
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Add the lentils, carrots, 1/2 cup of the onions and the pork/ham hock (if using; or if serving to veggie/non-veggie crowd, add bacon just before serving). Return the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and simmer the mixture for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter or margarine in a small skillet and saute the remaining onion and celery for five minutes. Add the garlic and saute it, stirring, a minute longer. Set the vegetables aside.
3. After the lentils have simmered for 30 minutes, added the reserved vegetables and the kale. Cover the pain and simmer the soup 20 minutes longer, adding more water if needed. Stir in the pepper.

Source: adapted from Jane Brody, reprinted in the New York Times, March 2, 2009