Deborah Madison's Hearty Lentil Minestrone with Kale

Deborah Madison's Hearty Lentil Minestrone with Kale

From In My Kitchen

1.5 c dark green lentils
2 tbsp olive oil for the pot, plus your best olive oil for the finish
1 large onion, finely diced
1 heaping tbsp nutritional yeast
2 bay leaves
6 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme
3 tbsp or more chopped parsley
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup finely diced celery, pale leaves reserved and finely chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 plump garlic cloves, finely minced or mashed in a mortar with 1 tsp salt
1/2 cup white wine or water
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp smoot mustard
1 tbsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
3-4 cups stemmed, chopped kale leaves
1 cup dried pasta (interesting shape preferred) or 2 cups cooked whole grain, such as spelt
Romano or Parmesan

Note: you'll be cooking the pasta separately right before serving (see below)

1. Cover lentils with warm water and set them aside to soak while you prepare the vegetables
2. Warm oil in a heated soup pot, then add onion, nutritional yest, bay leaves, thyme, carrots, celery, and parsley. Stir over medium heat, about 10 minutes, until the onions are well wilted
3. Add tomato paste, smash it against the bottom of the pot, and cook until a glaze has formed on the bottom of the soup pot. Add the garlic and the wine, scrape up the glaze from the bottom, and cook until the wine is mostly reduced.
4. Pour the water off the soaking lentils and add them along with with 2 tsp alt and 7 cups water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, until the lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. When the soup is done, stir in the mustard and vinegar and then taste for salt and season with pepper. Add the greens and let them cook until tender, 7 minutes.
5. Cook the pasta in salted water just before serving. Ladle the soup into each bowl, add a few spoonfuls of pasta, then drizzle with your favorite olive oil. Grade some Romano over each bowl and garnish with celery leaves.