Peasant Soup easy on the waist, wallet

Once this weekend is over, most of us will be back to something resembling normal life, only with thinner wallets and thicker waistlines. Maybe this recipe for Peasant Soup can help with both.

Mim Hart in Hampden sent this along back when we asked for ideas for economical fare. She said it started out as a plain lentil soup she found in Gourmet magazine. “Then over the years,” she wrote, “I added more veggies so it would be more nutritious and tasty with more spices, and the vinegar for pep!”

I like this a lot, and felt terribly virtuous eating it because it has that good-for-you combination of legumes (lentils) and grain (brown rice) that create complementary nourishment. Then all the vegetables added their minerals and vitamins. It is a great antidote to all the luscious holiday fare.

As it stands, it could be vegetarian soup with the substitution of vegetable broth for the chicken broth. Conversely, you could add meat like a little bit of browned beef or slices of kielbasa. (If you are aiming for low-fat, you can use turkey sausage.) I thought about using chicken, but since lentils just can’t keep themselves from turn into a kind of muddy sludge, I think red meat might hold up better in the appearance department.

Mim’s idea about the vinegar for pep is a good one. A dry sherry will work well, too, if you have some around the house, or have enough money left to get a bottle. A long time ago, a friend of mine vastly improved a pot of pea soup I made with a generous splash of sherry, and I have used it since in all kinds of pea or bean or lentil soups. Of course, most of us peasants are more likely to have vinegar. Put some in the freezer for another night’s supper.

Looking for …

Oops, I lost the Yummy Bar recipe some kind soul sent me. It probably got bundled up with wrapping paper and I’ll find it next year when I unpack it for Christmas. Meanwhile, if you see this, could you send that along to me again?

Send queries or answers to Sandy Oliver, 1061 Main Road, Islesboro 04848, or e-mail tastebuds@prexar.com. Tell us where your recipes came from. List ingredients and number of servings, and do not abbreviate measurements. Include name, address and daytime phone number.

Peasant Soup

Serves 8-12

1 cup of lentils

Five cans of low salt chicken broth (or about 11/2 quarts) or the equivalent made with chicken bouillon cubes

2 cups of water

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup brown rice

2 cans diced tomatoes

5 cloves of garlic minced

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon curry

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon cumin

Pour all the ingredients into a large stockpot. Simmer uncovered for 50 minutes. Add 4 tablespoons of vinegar at the end. If soup seems too thick, add more broth. Add salt and pepper to taste.