Kosher Winter Lentil Soup

Most hearty brown lentil soups are made with pork. People insist there is no way to capture the flavor of a thick lentil soup without a ham bone in it. Ah, the naivete. In response, I submit this kosher lentil soup. I always think I'll have enough soup to provide my lunch for 3-4 days and always end up staring sadly into a fragrant yet empty pot by day 2.

This thick, hearty, Kosher soup is perfect comfort food for a cold winter day. It is inspired by the first course I enjoyed at a medieval themed bed and breakfast. Serve it with a hearty brown bread for mopping up the bowl. Like most soups, this one is even better as leftovers than it is the first day, so make it on a weekend and eat it for the rest of the week.

• 1 lb brown lentils
• 3 fourteen oz cans reduced sodium beef broth
• 1 fourteen oz can diced tomatoes
• 4 medium yellow onions, diced
• 4 large carrots, diced
• 3 tbsp chopped garlic (or 2 1/2 tbsp garlic paste, or 1 tbsp garlic powder)
• 2 tbsp coarse ground pepper (mixed peppercorns are best, but plain black will do)
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 tbsp olive oil

  Wash and rinse the lentils. If you don't, you'll find some stones in your soup.

  Brown the onions and carrots in the olive oil over a medium heat for about 10 minutes.

  When the onions start to turn translucent, add the beef broth. Stir well. Add all other ingredients, stir well.

  Bring the concoction to a boil, then reduce heat and let it simmer for the next 2 - 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Once the soup thickens from lentils in broth to a thick lentils in paste texture, it is ready to eat.

  The soup will be VERY thick, almost more like a beanpot. If you prefer a thinner soup, add an extra ½ can of beef broth and stir. If that is still too thick for your liking, add another ½ can of broth.

  
  
  Variations:
  
  * Vegetarians substitute veggie broth for beef broth and increase the thyme and basil by 1/2 tsp each. It won't taste exactly the same, but it will still be surprisingly good.

  * Beef lovers, when you add the broth, also add either 1/2 pound lean browned ground beef or 1/2 pound lean stew beef minced very small.

  * Instead of regular olive oil, use basil flavored olive oil. Do not reduce the basil.

  * Instead of plain diced tomatoes, use some of the pre-flavored tomatoes on the market these days, such as the garlic and oregano ones. Stick with European themed tomatoes. Cajun style, for example, wouldn't taste right alongside the other ingredients.

  * Rather than chop onions yourself, buy bagged frozen ones instead. 4 cups frozen onion works well.

  *If you're a good person who likes fresh veggies, rather than chop all the veggies by hand, cut the stems off the carrots and the outer skin off the onion then drop them all in a blender. The finer the veggies the better.