Warm Lentil Soup for a Cold January Day

Today turned out to be a bit colder than the previous week. Temperature wise not so much but there was a strong wind blowing and so it definitely felt colder. We tend to stay indoors when it is really cold out. I'm still working on cabinets, closets and drawers and although I enjoy the order that is the result, I miss a good sit by the fire which we keep going during these cold days.

But there is nothing so warming as a good bowl of a hearty soup and lentil is a favorite of ours. I have my favorite lentil soup recipe but I did come across one last week that included a bit of sherry. It came from a Linderhof friend, Lindaraxa's Garden. The soup looked so good in Lindaxra's post that I had to try it at the first opportunity!

It was every bit as good as Julieta said. And I loved the sherry -- it gave it great flavor. This may be my new "go to" lentil soup. It was that good!

Julieta recommended serving it with red wine and a crusty baguette and finish with a salad and cheese and something light for dessert. We have the wine and the baguette but we're going to skip the salad and have a slice of fresh apple cake for dessert.

The recipe as posted at Lindaraxa's Garden:

Lentil Soup with Chorizo and Sherry

2 carrots, sliced and chopped

2 stalks celery, sliced and chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 ham or smoked pork bone (I didn't have so just used some diced ham that I did have)

2 T. olive oil

2 cups dried lentils

6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Salt and pepper to taste

1 chorizo

1/2 cup dry sherry

olive oil

Saute carrots, celery, onion and garlic in hot olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add the ham or smoked pork bone and brown on both sides. Sort and remove any debris from lentils; rinse under cold running water. Add lentils and broth to vegetable mixture; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until lentils are tender. Slice the chorizo in 1/2 inch rounds, add some olive oil to a small skillet, brown the chorizo. Add the sherry and reduce to half the amount. Add the chorizo and sherry reduction to the lentils. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Serve. After you serve in the bowls, add a little olive oil on top.