Today was a "lay low" day for us. The weather didn't turn out quite as cold as predicted (they were originally calling for snow here in Santa Fe), but it was raw nevertheless so we stayed at the coach and did lazy stuff.
Well, if you call removing and scrubbing the air conditioner faceplates "lazy". Dad took them completely off and apart and scrubbed cleaned them (first time in these last 6 years of the coach's existence for the entire assembly to be cleaned, not just the filters and grilles). All this was driven by the sinus trouble the folks have had since arriving in New Mexico.
Mom then spent most of the afternoon making the Barefoot Contessa's Lentil and Sausage soup. It sounded like a great plan - cold, rainy day and hot, homemade soup. Where she erred was forgetting what chopped yellow onions and leeks can do when the coach is all buttoned up.
Especially after watching Planet Earth's "caves" episode where they talked about sulfuric acid in caves and how the cave explorers have to wear protective equipment...
You see, Mom never uses yellow onions, only sweet ones. This time, though, she decided to follow the recipe exactly. It brought Dad to tears. So much so that he had to close himself in the bedroom of the coach with the windows open (and yes, it was only 44 degrees out).
Fortunately, there was no permanent damage and now we have tons of yummy soup.
Oh, Mom says she saw some reviews where folks used andouille or crumbled sausage instead of kielbasa and liked it even better.
What's Cooking
Lentil Sausage Soup
based on a recipe from Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa
1 lb dry lentils
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cups diced yellow onions (about 3 medium)
4 cups chopped leeks -- white and light green parts only (2 to 3 leeks)
1 Tbs minced garlic
1 Tbs kosher salt
1/2 Tbs freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs minced fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dry thyme or Italian seasoning)
1 tsp ground cumin
3 cups medium diced celery
3 cups medium diced carrots
3 quarts chicken broth or stock
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 lb kielbasa -- cut in 1/2 lengthwise and sliced 1/3-inch thick
2 Tbs dry red wine or red wine vinegar
Freshly grated Parmesan -- for serving
Pick over lentils (always check your dry legumes for pebbles and other foreign bits), rinse thoroughly and set aside.
In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and saute the onions, leeks, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, and cumin for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are translucent and tender. Add the celery and carrots and saute for another 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste, and lentils, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, or until the lentils are cooked through and tender. Check the seasonings. Add the kielbasa and red wine and simmer until the kielbasa is hot. Serve sprinkled with grated Parmesan.
Servings: 10-12
Yield: 4 quarts