Italian Lentil and Escarole Soup

Perfect Italian Lentil Soup to warm you up in a hurry, be sure to have Italian Crusty Bread with your soup.

You can make a whole meal with this soup, it will certainly warm you up. The memories of my grandmother making this warm my soul alone. Simple ingredients that became a banquet.

I love a great bowl of lentil soup. I usually boil everything together then take out the chunky vegetables and puree them for intense great flavors. You can leave them all whole if you like

This soup is full of flavor and will satisfy your hunger, healthy and low fat. A great combo with escarole.

On a cold winter day in Upstate NY, we would sit there sorting the tiny rocks from the dried lentils, getting them ready to soak over night. Couldn't wait till the next day to eat this soup, now we have easier ways to do this, still sorting them but you can do make lentils in the crockpot overnight, freeze whatever you haven't used....no waste.

1 cup dried lentil washed and sorted soaked overnight in water with 1/2 teaspoon salt or do whole package in crockpot overnight and freeze the rest.

4 cups chicken broth (I make my own click here)
1/2 cup white wine
4 tablespoon oil
2 sprigs of fresh parsley
3 cloves garlic cleaned
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
 Optional: 1 cup diced tomatoes,1 sauteed diced onion
1 head of escarole cleaned and boiled making sure they are cooked through drain, then chopped fine when cooled
1/2 teaspoon of salt, pepper to taste
handful of carrots, 2 stalks celery 
(for meat flavoring, add ham bone or prociutto while simmering.) 

Grandma would put any meat leftover from Sunday sauce or through the week.

Place fresh lentils in a crock pot filled to the top over night with water on low around 6 hours or make to package instructions. Drain and rinse. Or just cook the to package instructions.

Process in food processor garlic, celery, garlic, parsley. Put oil in a soup pot, add the minced vegetables, carrots and tomatoes escarole, garlic powder, add salt and pepper to taste.
When the carrots are cooked I take them out and puree them. Add back to the soup for flavor.
Add wine and broth and cover pot. Bring to boil, lower heat, add lentils. Simmer until lentil are cooked add more chicken broth if gets too thick if you prefer thinner soup. Soup is very thick, Serve with Italian Fresh grated cheese and crusty Italian bread.