Daily Notes- October 27

Image from Garden Design

Near freezing here in Maine and raining.  Soup weather.  I just now finished putting together lentil soup from a recipe given to me by my best friend when I lived in Germany.  Lovely German woman who I spent much of my 6 years with.

And in that vein of sweet remembrance:  A recipe for German Linsensuppe.

The recipe calls for one pound of country ham pieces.  I have gone without during vegetarian phases. I have added one end cut off a smoked ham from the deli section of the grocery.  Costing usually less than a dollar.  And I have used ham flavoring powder in little packets.  Fine with.  Fine without.

Here is the recipe:
One pound ham pieces simmered in 2 quarts of water for an hour (to make a ham broth), I have never done this.
OR
Use 2 quarts plain water--it's what I usually do when I have ham ends or I don't have ham ends.
Then add one pound of dry lentils (I use the ordinary brown ones)
Carrots, diced--as many as you have or want (three today)
Celery, diced--one or two stalks (two today)
Potatoes, diced--as many as you have or want (two were left in the basket)
Onion, only one, diced
Tomato, only one, diced (still on the porch table from my garden)
red or green Pepper, diced--I had roasted some red peppers (garden) and used one in today's soup
Parsley- I had picked the leaves off my entire production of parsley before they froze and rolled it into fat cigars and into the freezer in freezer bags--I unwrap and cut off as much as needed--here it was an inch.

Add water if it gets too thick--simmer for an hour.  And you can add boullion cubes if you want.
If you don't add the ham--add some salt to the soup and some pepper.

The peppers, parsley and celery if you want (I do) is added in Germany as Suppengrun flakes.  I have found dried vegetable flakes in some small grocery chains but not often.  So I read the label and these items were listed. So I use fresh.

This makes a very thick, filling soup.  Monika served it with smoked sausage slices on top.