Soup Weather

I've been ready for some soup weather, so I'm hoping that making soup will encourage it to head our way. (that's how it works - right?) It's been cooler at night the past few days, so that's a start. Tonight I made a double batch of lentil soup. It was so fantastically awesome - I'm glad there is more for another day! yay! This soup is packed full of flavors with its leeks and bacon and slight vinegary zing. It's a recipe my mom has been making forever that I didn't appreciate quite as much when I was younger. (One of those foods you don't realize you miss until you're on the other side of the country and it makes the list of "foods to make Mom cook when she visits")

Lentil Soup

from McCall's Cookbook, Random House c.1963

• 1/2 lb. Lentils
• 4 Bacon slices
• 1 Cup Chopped Leek
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Onion - one onion
• 1/4 Cup Chopped carrot - one carrot
• 3/4 Cup Chopped Green Pepper
• 3/4 Cup Chopped Tomato
• 3 Tbs  Butter or Margarine
• 3 Tbs  Flour
• 1 can (10.5oz) Condensed Beef Boullion, undiluted or equivalent of water and bullion cubes  (mom uses "a heaping cup of water and 2 heaping teaspoons of beef bouillon stuff")
• 2 tsp Salt
• 2 Tbs Vinegar

1) Wash lentils. Put them in 5 cups cold water in a large kettle. Bring to boil.

2) Reduce heat; simmer covered 1 hour.

3) Meanwhile, cut bacon into small pieces; sauté in large skillet until crisp.

4) To bacon in skillet, add leek, onion, carrot, pepper and tomato; sauté over low heat about 5 minutes.

5) Combine with lentils in kettle.

6) Melt butter in same skillet. Remove from heat

7) Stir in flour until smooth; then gradually stir in boullion.

8) Add salt and vinegar; bring to boiling point, stirring. 

9) Pour into Lentils; cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.