Garlic Lentil Soup - Czech Penicillin

            Eastern European peasant food, this lentil soup was a staple when I was growing up. Definitely a comfort food, the smells evoke a feeling of nostalgia to this day. It was one of my Czech mother's signature dishes, and a favorite of my dad's. During the winter, there was almost always a pot simmering on the back of the stove. 

            Traditionally used as an appetizer, it was said to ward off chills and colds. My grandmother, mother, and aunts swore by the healing powers of the garlic, and would use copious amounts. I'm more partial to the soothing aroma of the sweet marjoram, the essential spice in this dish. (Don't be afraid to use a lot. The flavor is mild, and the fragrance is heavenly.) Either way, it's good for body and soul.

            Easy to make, and relatively fast, I make it for dinner. My husband and kids love it, which is a bonus. Early on, it became part of the rotation for "Soup & Bread Night." I like to serve it with a good, toasted potato bread, or a light rye. Just don't do garlic bread it's overkill, I found.

. 

Babi's Lentil Garlic Soup       Flavorful, Satisfying, and Meatless

About 4 - 6 servings

. 

1 cup diced celery, with leaves             

1 cup diced onion

2 tbsp. olive oil                                    

2 cloves garlic, or more, to taste - minced

6 cups vegetable broth                         

1/2 lb. dried lentils 

1 tsp. or more dried marjoram leaves               

Salt and pepper

 .

In large, heavy soup pot, saute celery and onion in oil until tender soft. Add half of the garlic cloves, lentils and broth. Be aware of the heat of your garlic and use accordingly. If you like lots of garlic, use more. The cooking time reduces the bite. Season to taste with salt, pepper and marjoram.

. 

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The longer you simmer, the thicker the soup will be. Add the other clove(s) of garlic just before serving. Serve with hearty whole grain bread. 

A Cure for the Common Cold?

             Eastern European peasant food, this lentil soup was a staple when I was growing up. Definitely a comfort food, the smells evoke a feeling of nostalgia to this day. It was one of my Czech mother's signature dishes, and a favorite of my dad's. During the winter, there was almost always a pot simmering on the back of the stove. 

            Traditionally used as an appetizer, it was said to ward off chills and colds. My grandmother, mother, and aunts swore by the healing powers of the garlic, and would use copious amounts. I'm more partial to the soothing aroma of the sweet marjoram, the essential spice in this dish. (Don't be afraid to use a lot. The flavor is mild, and the fragrance is heavenly.) Either way, it's good for body and soul.

            Easy to make, and relatively fast, I make it for dinner. My family loves it, which is a bonus. Early on, it became part of the rotation for "Soup & Bread Night." I like to serve it with a good, toasted potato bread, or a light rye. Just don't do garlic bread, it's overkill, I found.

. 

Babi's Lentil Garlic Soup       Flavorful, Satisfying, and Meatless

About 4 - 6 servings

. 

1 cup diced celery, with leaves             

1 cup diced onion

2 tbsp. olive oil                                    

2 cloves garlic, or more, to taste - minced

6 cups vegetable broth                         

1/2 lb. dried lentils

1 tsp. or more dried marjoram leaves               

Salt and pepper

 .

In large, heavy soup pot, saute celery and onion in oil until tender soft. Add half of the garlic cloves, lentils and broth. Be aware of the heat of your garlic and use accordingly. If you like lots of garlic, use more. The cooking time reduces the bite. Season to taste with salt, pepper and marjoram.

. 

Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are tender, 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The longer you simmer, the thicker the soup will be. Add remaining clove(s) of garlic just before serving. Serve with hearty whole grain bread. 

 

Mycology is Mushrooming

            One of my fondest childhood memories is of going mushrooming with my aunt and
 uncle. I remember the smell of the moist soil, walking on a carpet of pine needles so thick that our footsteps made no sound. The awe of that ancient forest, with bracken fern fronds nearly as tall as I, has stayed with me. My cousin and I would scamper around, searching for 'shrooms. We were taught not to touch any, just show them to an adult. Some were picked, some were vetoed. I don't remember anything about the art of mycology, I was too young, but I definitely remember feasting on the fungi. Baskets full of mushrooms would mean mushroom soup for supper. Breakfast would be a mushroom frittata. The flavors were always wonderful, earthy and rich.

            I did learn a healthy respect for wild mushrooms, and don't recommend hunting  them yourself, unless you really know what you're doing. Just too many are deadly toxic. Personally, I'm happy to stick with a reliable source:¦my neighborhood grocery store. Fortunately, these days most markets are carrying more than just white button mushrooms. Now we can enjoy "wild" mushrooms, and all we have to learn are recipes. Criminis, the brown buttons, are baby portabellas. Less expensive, they are nearly as flavorful as their larger, trendier siblings. Fresh chantrelles and shitakes have become standards in some produce departments. Many of the more exotic can be found dried, if not fresh.

            The year our son, James, announced his intention of becoming a chef, Grandma gave him a "mushroom farm" for Christmas. It was a kit consisting of a foot-long piece of log, pre-treated with shitake spores. He followed the instructions, and sure enough, at the expected time, he was harvesting succulent shitakes. Our family enjoyed the abundance for several weeks.

            This recipe is the closest I've come to duplicating my aunt's soup. Her's was made with homemade beef stock and herbs from her garden. It was velvety smooth, punctuated with perfect slices of mushrooms. A dollop of butter floated on top of each serving. She counted on heavy cream and arrowroot to thicken her broth. Trying to lighten it up, I use mushroom puree and milk for thickener. The end result is very similar, and much lower in fat and calories. A few shitakes or other "wild" mushrooms thrown in for extra flavor are a nice touch.

.

Cream of Mushroom Soup     

.

2 lbs. crimini mushrooms

½ lb. shitake, chantrelle, morell or an assortment, fresh or dried (optional)

3 stalks celery, strings removed, thinly sliced

½ cup diced red onion

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. butter

2 cups beef broth

4 cups milk or half & half

¼ tsp. thyme

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

Chopped chives for garnish

.

If you're using dried mushrooms, put them in a bowl with just enough warm water cover. Let stand for at least 10 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid.

.

Wipe crimini mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Pick out the 6 best looking ones and slice thinly. Set aside  with the more exotic mushrooms.. Chop the remaining criminis coarsely.

In a stock pot or Dutch oven, heat oil and butter to medium-high. Saute onions and celery until tender. Add chopped mushrooms and continue cooking until some aroma develops. Pour in broth. If using dried mushrooms, add the liquid they soaked in, too. Bring to a simmer. Add thyme and bay leaf. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer about 15 minutes until mushrooms are tender. Remove bay leaf.

.

With a slotted spoon transfer the mushroom/onion/celery mixture into the food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. Pour the puree back into the pot and stir well. Add mushroom slices and dried mushrooms. Stir in. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Continue to simmer on low heat 10 minutes. Slowly add milk and heat gently. Do not allow to boil after milk has been added.

.

Sprinkle with chopped fresh chives. Serve with crusty bread or cheese toast. 

The Sweetest Onion in the West

            The best and sweetest onion in the Northwest, the Walla Walla is only available for a short time each year. Their high sugar content is what makes these huge yellow onions so perishable. It’s also what makes them so succulent. My dad used to eat them like apples.

             Even here in Oregon, the legendary Washington State onion is available everywhere. Burgerville and other restaurants feature Walla Walla onion rings, and I've seen them in every grocery store. Winco has 5lb. bags for under $3. That's enough for rings, burgers, kabobs, or a pot of soup. I make a batch every year, even though it's not really soup weather this time of year.

            The first time I made it for the grandkids, aged 2 and 5 at the time, I was afraid the flavor might be too strong for them. It wasn't. They both loved it. I usually serve the soup topped with a slice of toasted French bread (fresh from the Safeway bakery) and melted cheese. This year, since acquiring a bread machine (a gift from my wonderful son-in-law, Jimmy) the fresh French bread will come straight from our kitchen.

           This is my version of the classic French onion soup.

SWEET ONION & BACON SOUP
4 or more generous servings

 
4-6 large Walla Walla sweet onions, coarsely chopped

6 strips of bacon

6 cups beef broth 

1tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup red wine 

Salt and pepper

1 large bay leaf

Toasted baguette slices

Sliced provolone, mozzarella or Jack cheese

Trim excess fat from bacon and cut into thin strips. In a heavy pan, cook the bacon pieces until nearly crisp on medium-high heat. Add onions. Brown slowly until caramelized, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.

 Add wine and allow alcohol to evaporate, about 3 minutes. Stir in broth. Season with salt, pepper, bay leaf and Worcestershire sauce to taste. Reduce heat and simmer 1-2 hours to allow flavor to develop. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
Top each baguette slice with a slice of cheese. Place under the broiler for a minute or two, until cheese is bubbly. Pour hot soup into serving bowls and top with a cheese toast. Garnish with a sprinkle of parmesan or paprika, if desired.

Once Upon A Time, 30 years ago...

            During the recession of the early 1980's, we lived in Central Oregon. This was at a time when all the mills were beginning to shut down. As a result, much of the town was unemployed. Even those who didn't work directly for a mill were affected. Everyone we knew supplemented their food budget with gardens…and game. My husband, an experienced hunter and fisherman, made sure there was always meat on the table. We ate what many people might consider delicacies. Quail, pheasant, duck, elk, the list could go on. Roast wild goose or back-strap of venison was not unusual. Neither was freshly caught, fried bass or bluegill. Unfortunately, you can have too much of a good thing. At one point, I never wanted to see another trout, let alone eat one. Now, I enjoy it again…but it took a few years.

            When we moved back to the Portland area, we kept living off the land as much as practical. We rented a little house on five acres, on the outer side of the West Hills. It had a neglected old orchard, filled with apple, plum, and pear trees, and a large garden space. By this time, we had three toddlers. They spent many hours in the garden with me, playing farmer with their own little plastic tools. They loved to snack on berries or pull carrots for their lunch. Tiny cherry tomatoes, sweet as candy, were consumed by the handful. We also raised rabbits, sheep, and chickens. Gathering eggs was part of the fun. There were times when we supplied the whole neighborhood with eggs. At some small level, the kids grew to understand that food didn't just come from the store. They all have fond memories of our days on the farm.

            There are two times each year when I find myself with tiny vegetables. The first is early summer, when I'm impatient to harvest something. Then again at the end of the season, when the garden is winding down. Too little of any one thing to use alone, but together they make a wonderful vegetable soup. I don't think I've made this the same way twice, it depends on what I have on hand, but it's always gotten good reviews from my family. It can easily be made vegetarian.

.

Baby Vegetable Soup

Serves 4 to 6

.

1 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, minced

1 carrot, thinly sliced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 small hot pepper, seeded and diced or 1 dried chili pepper (optional)

1 small sweet pepper, any variety, seeded and diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup green and/or wax beans, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 quart chicken or vegetable broth

2 or 3 ripe tomatoes, diced or 1 can diced tomatoes in juice

3 or 4 baby red potatoes, quartered

1 or 2 small summer squash, sliced or cubed, depending on size

¼ cup chopped, assorted fresh herbs or 1 tbsp. dried (parsley, basil and marjoram)

Salt, pepper

.

Heat oil and butter in a stock pot to medium high. Saute onion until golden brown. Add carrots, celery, peppers and garlic and saute for a minute or two. Add tomatoes, beans and broth. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in potatoes and summer squash and cook 15-20 minutes longer or until vegetables are all tender. Stir in herbs and adjust seasonings.