Lentil Soup

Another great recipe from Diane Kirby that features a twist on a typical lentil soup recipe. This one features amber ale, and a little splash from the wine world, sherry. This lentil soup recipe has a lot of ingredients, but don’t worry, it is an easy recipe you can use to practice cooking with beer. You can even prepare this lentil soup recipe a day or two in advance and finish it up when you want to serve it very quickly.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbls olive oil
• 2 Tbls butter (unsalted)
• 3 carrots (1/2” dice)
• 3 celery stalks (1/2” dice)
• 1 parsnip (medium, 1/4” dice)
• 3 garlic (minced)
• 4 tsp bouillon (beef)
• 4 cup beer (amber ale)
• 3 cup plum tomatoes (minced)
• 1 cup lentils (rinsed)
• 1 lb hot dogs (German style are best, from a deli, sliced)
• 1 ⁄2 lb bacon (1/2” dice)
• 6 Tbls parsley (Italian (fresh))
• 1 Tbls rosemary (fresh, or 1 teaspoon dry)
• 1 ⁄4 tsp allspice (ground)

Instructions

1. Heat oil and butter in a soup pot.
2. Add carrots, onions, celery, parsnip, bacon,
3. hot dog and garlic.
4. Cook, covered, over
5. medium heat for 15 minutes to wilt vegetables.
6. Stir.
7. Add Amber Ale,
8. chicken bullion, tomatoes, and lentils.
9. Simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.
10. Add 4 tbsp fresh Italian Parsley (or 4 tsp
11. dried), rosemary, allspice, pepper, and salt.
12. Simmer, partially covered, until lentils are almost tender, stirring
13. occasionally.
14. Can be prepared up to two days ahead.
15. Skim off any fat.
16. Reheat soup and simmer until lentils are completely tender, stirring
17. occasionally.
18. Remove cover from soup and
19. add the Dry Sherry, and remaining 2 tbsp Italian Parsley.
20. Add salt and pepper to taste
21. Serve immediately.

Beer should be at room temperature Beer Pairing This goes great with an American amber ale or American pale ale. It also would go good with a slightly hoppy lager like a Czech pilsener or German pilsener