Recipe: Calliope's Lentil Soup

recipelink.com Chat Room Recipe Swap - 2001-01-30
From: calliope,.NY

CALLIOPE'S LENTIL SOUP

1-bag lentils, any type
8 cups water and/or stock (more as needed)
2-large yellow onions, chopped
2-3 ribs celery, chopped
1-red pepper, diced
1-jalepeno pepper with ribs and seeds to taste for heat
or use red pepper flakes or some cayenne
1-cup chopped fennel bulb...or try some turnips
2-3 large carrots, chopped
6-cloves minced garlic
3-or more large boiling potatoes with the skin, cubed
1-box frozen spinach...or use escarole, mustard greens
or Swiss chard
salt and black pepper to taste
3-whole bay leaves
dried herbs (thyme, oregano, or
basil and plenty of fresh parsley...and a few dashes of cloves
1-28 oz. can crushed tomatoes in juice
1/2-cup dry red wine (optional)
juice of one fresh lemon
1-2 tablespoons molasses or brown sugar
Red wine vinegar to taste at the end
Minced scallions for the top

This will be pretty thick but we like our soups like stews...you may thin it if you wish.