Recipe(tried): Greek Lentil Soup

Hi Becky:-) This recipe is from our good friend, Spiros. He made it for us when we were all graduate students at The University of Texas (Austin). I have made it quite often. It is pretty much from memory as I watched him make it. I don't know whether it might have been his mother's recipe or if he just kind of made it up from his own memories of his mother's lentil soup. I am also posting the recipe from my cookbook, The Food and Wine of Greece by Diane Kochilas.

Greek Lentil Soup
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

1 (1 lb.) package lentils, rinsed with cold water, picked over for any small stones and drained
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce (I like Hunt's)
1 bay leaf
Water to cover (6 to 8 cups)
Salt and pepper to taste
Extra virgin olive oil (Greek if you can get it)
Red Wine Vinegar (I use Regina since that is what Spiros used)

Put lentils, onion, green pepper, garlic, water, tomato sauce, and bay leaf in a large soup pot. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the lentils are tender. (For some reason, lentils take a lot longer to cook when there is tomato sauce in the mixture. I'm sure that there is a logical scientific explanation for this - must have to do with chemistry - but I can't give you that reason). Add water as necessary while cooking. When lentils are tender, taste for seasoning. Serve in soup bowls. Let each person add olive oil and red wine vinegar to taste - about a half tablespoon of each olive oil and and red wine vinegar for each bowl. Serve with Greek Salad (I think that Gina and I have both posted recipes for Classic Greek Salad without lettuce) and Pita bread or crusty Country Greek,Italian or French bread.

Faki (Hearty Lentil Soup) from The Food and Wine of Greece

1/4 c. plus 2 Tbl. olive oil
3 medium white onions, coarsely chopped
2 c. dried baby lentils, rinsed
2 medium carrots, scraped and chopped (about 3/4 cup)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 to 5 plum tomatoes, peeled and squeezed with juice
1/4 c. finely chopped fresh parsley
6 to 8 cups water, or more if necessary
1 large bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 small hot red peppers (optional)
1/4 c. strong red wine vinegar

1. In a large soup pot, heat 1/4 c. olive oil and saute 2 of the onions until translucent. Add lentils and carrots and saute 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Add garlic, tomatoes, parsley, 6 cups water, bay leaf, salt, pepper and hot peppers (if desired). Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until lentils and carrots are very tender. Add morw water during cooking, if necessary.

2. Five to 7 minutes before removing soup from heat, pour in vinegar. Serve topped with remaining raw onion and a dribbling of remaining olive oil.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Serving suggestions: Faki, among the heartiest of Greek soups, needs the powerful taste of retsina (Greek wine) as a balance. Serve this with little else beside feta and bread.