Friends with Soup
Tuesday, January 23 is National Soup Swap Day, a fact I found out while reading today's paper. (And look! They have a blog!) I thought this was an interesting bit of information because just yesterday I made a large batch of lentil soup with rice and chicken, and today I brought a tupperware container of it over to Jennie's house. I'm like, so ahead of the times. Except she didn't give me any soup in exchange so I didn't actually participate in a swap, per se. But that's okay; who knew that Tuesday is National Soup Swap Day?
Now that you do, you might want to consider making this lentil soup to swap with a friend. This isn't instant soup--it takes five or six hours to make--but one batch makes at least 10 servings, it's easy to make, it freezes well, and it's good.
Lentil Soup with Rice and Chicken
* 1 chicken, rinsed well
* 3 stalks celery, cut in half
* handful of baby carrots
* 1 white onion, quartered
* bay leaf
* salt and pepper
* 1 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/4 cup white rice
* 1 large can diced tomatoes in juice
* 2 T lemon juice
1. Put the first 6 ingredients in a 8-quart stock pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours or until chicken is fork tender. Periodically skim chicken gunk foam off top with slotted spoon.
2. Remove chicken and set aside. Remove veggies and set aside. Throw away bay leaf.
3. Place lentils, oregano, and rice in pot. Cut up veggies from the chicken and put back into pot. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours. Stir occasionally.
4. Add tomatoes and lemon juice, stir, and continue cooking for an additional 1 to 2 hours. Stir occasionally.
5. Meanwhile, remove chicken meat from bone and shred with fingers. Try not to eat all the dark meat while standing at the counter.
6. When soup is done, stir chicken meat back into pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Now that you do, you might want to consider making this lentil soup to swap with a friend. This isn't instant soup--it takes five or six hours to make--but one batch makes at least 10 servings, it's easy to make, it freezes well, and it's good.
Lentil Soup with Rice and Chicken
* 1 chicken, rinsed well
* 3 stalks celery, cut in half
* handful of baby carrots
* 1 white onion, quartered
* bay leaf
* salt and pepper
* 1 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/4 cup white rice
* 1 large can diced tomatoes in juice
* 2 T lemon juice
1. Put the first 6 ingredients in a 8-quart stock pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours or until chicken is fork tender. Periodically skim chicken gunk foam off top with slotted spoon.
2. Remove chicken and set aside. Remove veggies and set aside. Throw away bay leaf.
3. Place lentils, oregano, and rice in pot. Cut up veggies from the chicken and put back into pot. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours. Stir occasionally.
4. Add tomatoes and lemon juice, stir, and continue cooking for an additional 1 to 2 hours. Stir occasionally.
5. Meanwhile, remove chicken meat from bone and shred with fingers. Try not to eat all the dark meat while standing at the counter.
6. When soup is done, stir chicken meat back into pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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