"This is a soup that most Greeks have grown up with," writes Tessa Kiros. "The unusual part of this healthy, nourishing soup is the way they serve it with a drizzle of vinegar."
Lentil Soup (Fakes)
Adapted from Tessa Kiros' Food From Many Greek Kitchens, published by Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC.
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 dried oregano sprig
2 bay leaves
1-1/2 cups small brown lentils
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
1 cinnamon stick
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil, for serving
Put the vinegar into a bowl. Crush 1 of the garlic cloves and add it to the bowl along with the oregano and 1 of the bay leaves.
Rinse the lentils, then put them into a pot with 7 cups of cold water. Add the remaining garlic cloves and bay leaf, the olive oil, onion, carrot and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Skim the surface if necessary, cover, and simmer gently for about 25 minutes. Add the tomatoes, season well with salt and a little pepper and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are soft and the soup is lovely and thick. Take the lid off and simmer for about 5 minutes or longer if necessary, until it has a lovely thick soupy consistency.
Take off the heat, splash in 3 tablespoons of the vinegar and leave it to stand for a few minutes before serving. Serve hot, with an extra drizzle of olive oil and with the remaining vinegar on the table for anyone who'd like more.
Serves 4-6.