The Lunch Which Cooks Itself

Who knew kale was such an exotic vegetable? Let's get back to basics with this recipe featuring the mighty lentil. It's quick and easy to cook, but still packs a nutritional punch. I even made this soup while getting ready for work the other morning--and if you've seen me in a professional environment you should be able to guess correctly that I don't invest a lot of time in that. One of the best things about this soup is that it just begs for all sorts of fun toppings. Here's what you need:

• 1 cup red or yellow lentils (dry)
• 1 large carrot
• 1 large celery stalk, plus its greens
• 2 1/2 cups of vegetable broth (you can cheat and throw in water with a bouillon cube)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 or 2 juicy lemons
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• cherry tomatoes, feta, cumin seeds, red pepper flakes to garnish

Simmer the lentils in the broth with the celery (reserving the greens) and carrot for 15 minutes on medium heat, until the lentils have absorbed all the liquid. If you're down to cubes of bouillon, worry not, for this really is the most lenient recipe. Cool for a few minutes before pureeing in a food processor, adding the salt, lemon juice, and olive oil. If you're using an immersion blender, be sure to chop the carrots and celery before cooking. Add water to thin to your desired consistency. Serve with a toasted pita and garnish with chopped celery greens (highly recommended!), feta, spices, and cherry tomatoes. I included my favorite additions but would also suggest sumac, roasted peppers, and Greek yogurt. Puckerfaces likes me can add the juice of the second lemon, but others may want to stick with just one. Yields two heaping, satisfying bowls.

Happy Birthday, Heather! I got you a blog.

This year my lovely friend Heather packed up her many, many pairs of shoes and moved to the beautiful European island from which her (also lovely) boyfriend hails. I promised her recipes. Here is the first, which was originally published in Gourmet (RIP). Visit Epicurious.com for the full recipe. I've copied my altered ingredient list below so you know what you're dealing with. I replaced the chicken broth with a vegetable version and omitted the sausage. This is the perfect recipe for using up those sad-looking rinds in your cheese drawer (what--you don't have one of those?).

• 1 lb dried white beans such as Great Northern, cannellini, or navy
• 2 onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 5 cups broth
• 2 qt water
• 1 (3- by 2-inch) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 bay leaf (not California)
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 8 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 lb kale (preferably lacinato), stems and center ribs discarded and leaves coarsely chopped

A few notes:

• Presoak your beans. It's an easy habit to adopt. Dump a bag into a large bowl, cover with water, and leave out while you go to work or overnight as you sleep.It's less work than operating a can opener, I promise.
• If your eyes are sensitive to onions, bring a small fan into the kitchen to blow the noxious gases away from you as you chop. Or let the floodgates open and pretend your man done did you wrong. Theater pairs wonderfully with cooking.
  
• Only fresh garlic is acceptable in my kitchen.
• If I don't have homemade broth on hand, I use vegetable bouillon from Rapunzel. Not everything can be from scratch.
• Rosemary is an incredibly hearty plant. I keep a pot in my windowsill and despite egregious neglect, it's still with me.
• This soup ages well. Cook it the night before and heat it up for an incredibly warming lunch. The temperature here has been dipping into the 20s, so that is exactly what I'm doing.
• Go ahead. Grate some fresh parmigiano reggiano on top. You've earned it.