Lentil Barley

Photo: flickr user grilled cheese

Ingredients

1 cup lentils rinsed and picked

over

4 scallions with greens sliced

1 carrot peeled and sliced

2 stalk leafy rib celery sliced

1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano

1/4 cup barley

or white or brown rice

10 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or more

1 16 oz can whole peeled tomatoes coarsely chopped

1/4 cup dry red wine

Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Put all ingredients, except for last 3, in a 6-quart pot and bring to a boil.

2. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours. The soup should reduce by 20 to 25 percent.

3. Add tomatoes and wine, stir, and continue cooking for an additional 1 to 2 hours. Salt and pepper to taste.

Yield: "12 cups"

NOTES : There are thousands of recipes for lentil soup. This particular one emerged while I was stranded in a house in the Berkshires with a semistocked refrigerator and a house full of people begging for warmth and soup and nourishment. Using brown rice instead of the more conventional barley adds a welcome, slightly nutty flavor.