This, unlike the previous good eats, has a provenance, in that it is taken from Nava Atlas’ Vegetariana which I had ordered from a book catalog when stationed in Greece. I shopped in the weekly neighborhood street market, where the vegetables, fruits, eggs and cheese and all were inexpensive and often straight from the farm or orchard. We ate vegetarian, often for weeks at a time. This was one of our very favorite soups. Sometimes I have made up a gift basket for a friend or hostess of all the premeasured or prepped necessary ingredients and included this recipe with it.

Winter Lentil & Brown Rice Soup

Combine in a large pot:

1/2 Cup dried lentils, washed and picked over

1/3-1/2 Cup brown rice

2 TBSp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 TBSp soy sauce

2 Bay leaves

3 Cups water, or which is much better, 3 Cups vegetable broth

Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over low heat for 7 to 10 minutes. Then add:

2 additional cups water or broth

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 medium carrots, thinly sliced

1 large celery stalk, finely chopped

Handful of finely chopped celery leaves

1 14-oz can chopped tomatoes with liquid (Or Rotel tomatoes with chili peppers)

1/2 Cup tomato sauce or tomato juice

1/4 cup dry red wine or sherry

1 Teasp dried basil

1 Teasp paprika

1/2 Teasp dried marjoram

1/2 Teasp dried thyme

Salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and simmer for half an hour or so, until lentils and rice are done.

It is especially splendid when made with the Ro-Tel tomatoes & chilis, and a rich home-made vegetable broth…. plus you can take the onus of being vegetarian off it by adding about half a pound of kielbasa or other smoked sausage, sliced into rounds, towards the end of the cooking time, and serving it with a little grated cheddar cheese on top.