Soup is reminiscent of home for me as my family always made delicious main-meal variety's. I remember coming home from school one dismal day in September, sniffling and feeling miserable. I found my father standing over the stove, mixing and stirring and tasting. Soup was on the menu. He ladled some into a bowl for me and wrapped me in a blanket and there I sat, feeling the warmth of the broth envelop me. I felt better. His soup was filled with beans and vegetables and a flavorful broth of tomato and fresh herbs. He cut a piece of crusty homemade bread, dipped it into my soup and allowed it to soften. How did he know this was exactly what I needed?
Lately, all I've been craving and cooking is soup. The East Coast has been unseasonably cold for this time of year. At times, bone-chilling. Are we ever going to enjoy festive summer BBQ's and lazy days at the beach? Is that on the agenda for us this summer? I'm not so sure. It’s been cold. Dreary. Rainy. Gray. And the idea that we will even experience those simple pleasures seems, well...bleak.
This weather has made me yearn for the nourishing and robust goodness that only soup can provide. I had some red lentils in the pantry and added chorizo and fennel and a touch of turmeric, smoked paprika and coriander, and the end result was a fantastic, hearty one-pot meal. Red lentils don't require soaking like the green variety as they cook rapidly, so this meal is an easy alternative to pasta or other quick dinner options. The broth is bold and flavorful and amazingly satisfying.
I cut some crusty bread and let it soak into my soup. I remembered my father’s loving hands as he prepared his favorite soup, the way he’d hum and whistle while he cooked. How he made us feel better by making silly faces and the way he soothed us with his gentle words and wholesome dishes. He was a good dad. Homemade soup always reminds me of him and I really believe that’s the reason I love it so very much.
