Lentil & Swiss Chard Soup
This soup isn't very pretty. It's plain and homely looking. It's murky-colored, and non-descript. But what it lacks in looks, it more than makes up for in flavor. Trust me, you want to make this soup.
In Italy, it is a tradition to eat lentils to bring good luck. The lentils are symbolic for money and are eaten in hopes of bringing prospertiy in the new year. They are often prepared more like a stew and accompanied with cotechino, a flavorful spiced type of sausage, which is how my family ate these diminutive legumes every January.
I prefer eating lentils in soup form rather than in stew form, though. Plus lentil soup is one of the many dishes that reminds me of my Nonna Liliana, who always made delicious soups. Since my Nonna cooked all her recipes from memory, I can only hope to reproduce the dishes she made using my (very foggy) taste memory accompanied by my trustworthy Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking cookbook, which has many of the same types of recipes I ate growing up.
Like most soups, this recipe starts off with the classic Italian soffritto of carrots, celery and onions sauteed in olive oil to develop the flavor base. Some diced pancetta imparts a smoky-sweet meatiness. I decided to add a bunch of red Swiss chard to my version of this soup because I happen to love Swiss chard and am on quite the greens kick at the moment. A can of crushed tomatoes adds color and a touch of sweetness.
It actually looks much prettier before you add the drab-colored lentils and dark beef broth, but like I said, you have to trust me on this one. Then there is another ingredient I always add to most of my bean-based soups: a piece of rind from a wedge of Parmigiano-Reggiano. My grocery store sells pieces of rinds in pre-packaged containers (cue the Hallelujah chorus), and I always have a container of them in the freezer, ready to plop into my soups. If you have never tried this trick before, I highly recommend that you do. As the soup cooks, the rind softens and the small amount of parmigiano left on the rind melts into the soup and gives it the subtle salty/nutty tang that only parmigiano can do. Let it all simmer gently for the better part of an hour and then ladle yourself up a bowl and take a taste. See what I mean? Looks aren't everything.
Lentil & Swiss Chard Soup
Adapted from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella HazanTo make this soup vegetarian, omit the pancetta and substitute vegetable broth for the beef broth.
Use dried lentils for this recipe. They do not require pre-soaking and their texture is much better than canned lentils.
3 T. unsalted butter
3 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup finely diced carrot
1/4 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup finely diced onion
1/3 cup finely diced pancetta
1 bunch Swiss chard, washed, dried, stems removed and roughly chopped
1 14.5 oz. can crushed or diced tomatoes with their juice
1/2 lb. dried lentils, rinsed and picked through to remove any debris
4 cups beef broth + 1 cup cold water
Parmigiano-Reggiano rind
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepperIn a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrot, celery and onion and cook until softened, about 2-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the pancetta and cook another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the Swiss chard and the canned tomatoes and stir well to combine. Lower the heat to medium-low and leaving the pot uncovered, cook the vegetables for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When the vegetables have softened and cooked down, add in the rinsed and drained lentils and stir the ingredients together so the lentils are coated thoroughly with the vegetable mixture. Add in the broth, water and parmigiano rind. Cover the pot partially and bring the soup to a steady, gentle simmer, keeping the heat at medium-low. Cook the soup for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Taste the lentils towards the end of the cooking time to check for doneness. If the lentils need more time to cook, but the liquid needs replenishing, add more water 1 cup at a time.
When the lentils are cooked, taste the soup again and add salt and pepper to taste if necessary. Remove and discard the parmigiano rind. Serve hot sprinkled with additional grated parmigiano if desired.
This soup freezes very well. Allow to cool to room temperature before transferring to freezer-safe containers. Be sure to leave enough head space so that the soup has room to expand as it freezes.
|
Subscribe to RSS |
.jpg)
Yes, lentils and cotechino is the first meal you have after midnight on New Year's here in Italy, and it is delicious. Your soup looks lovely because you can tell it is good. I love the parmigiano rind trick, I always save mine.
I love soups and being Italian I grew up eating lots of earthy food, just like this one! It reminded me of home! Thanks for sharing!