LUCKY LENTILS

I'm late to the table with this 2024 New Year greeting, but it's never too late to enjoy lentils! Italian tradition would have it that after midnight, on January 1st, one should consume as many lentils as possible to bring "prosperity, wealth and good luck"in the coming year. My family always attempts to honor this tradition, accompanied by midnight sausage, but in truth we often don't make it to that bewitching hour, sleepy and in a food coma following a night of feasting on everything else you can imagine! So, better late than never, here's one way, a very simple, nutritious, and delicious soup, to help you get your fill of lentils.

MEP YOUR SOFFRITTO - a coarse chop of aromatic vegetables that boost your soup with flavor. Mise-en-place is just a cheffy way of saying, everything in place, prepared, organized, and ready to cook.

LENTIL SOUP

This is a slight departure from the recipe in my book, eliminating the sausage and farro and substituting beef broth for chicken stock...improvising with what I had in my pantry.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 large garlic cloves, minced

2 large carrots, small dice

1 large celery stalk, small dice

1 large onion, small dice

1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup green lentils, rinsed

5-6 beef broth

2-3 cups packed, coarsely chopped greens (kale, escarole, spinach)

Salt and pepper

Heat oil in a soup pot on low. Add the garlic, carrot, celery, onion, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, and a pinch of salt. Cook on low about 15 minutes until the vegetables are softened but not browned. Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the lentils, 5 cups broth and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes, or until lentils are soft. Discard bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Add more broth, if desired, along with the chopped greens. Simmer a few minutes more until the greens are wilted. Serves 4.