Recipe: Lentil Soup with Frankfurters

LENTIL SOUP WITH FRANKFURTERS

1 cup dried lentils, rinsed and drained
6 cups water
2 bacon slices, diced
1 leek or green onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, large, finely chopped
1 celery, stalk, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons unbleached flour
1 tablespoon vinegar
4 frankfurters, thickly sliced
1 tablespoon tomato catsup
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

In a 2 1/2-quart saucepan bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add the lentils, bacon, leek or green onion, carrot and celery. Simmer, partially covered, for 30 to 40 minutes.

Meanwhile in a fry pan, saute chopped onion in vegetable oil until soft.
Sprinkle flour over onion, and stir. Lower heat, stir constantly, and cook until the flour turns a light brown. DO NOT burn flour.

Stir in 1/2 cup of hot lentil soup into the browned flour; beat with a wire whisk until well-blended. Beat in vinegar.

Add contents of fry pan to lentil pan and stir together. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until lentils are soft (but still a little firm, not mushy).

Add the frankfurters and catsup. Cook to heat frankfurters through. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Makes 4 servings
Source: Art Poe, rec.food.recipes, 1996