Potage de Lentilles à l’Oseille

Name: Potage de Lentilles à l’Oseille
Yield: makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 1/3 pound dried lentils, preferably small dark green lentils, rinsed and picked over; 6 cups beef, chicken, or vegetable stock, preferably homemade (page 160 or 162), or water; 1 to 3 tablespoons butter; 1/4 pound sorrel or spinach, or a little more, chopped; Salt and black pepper to taste; 1 teaspoon sugar; Fresh lemon juice to taste (if using spinach)

December 14, 2011

Here sorrel brings both acidity and lightness to an often heavy mixture. You can substitute watercress or spinach for the sorrel to similar effect, especially if you add a squeeze of lemon at the end. Though it has only two primary ingredients, this soup is quite complex, particularly when you begin with good stock. The best lentils to use here are lentilles du Puy or other small dark green ones. Use the greenish brown variety only if you cannot find these.

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