Irish Lentil Soup

October 10, 2013

8:04 AM

Ingredients:

1 pound bag brown lentils

1 cup finely chopped onion

3 celery stalks chopped fine

2 cups cubed red potatoes

6 garlic clove coarsely chopped

½ pound stew meat

4 strips bacon, chopped

3 ounces of good Irish whiskey

½ tsp. Oregano

½ tsp. Pink Salt

2 tbsp. of cornstarch

1 tbsp. beef base (paste if possible)

6 cups water

Pinch of Black Pepper

Directions:

Place lentils in a large pot and add water to one inch above

the lentils. Soak overnight. Drain and rinse the lentils

before adding them to the soup. Before beginning the

soup dissolve the beef base in 6 cups of hot water.

Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat adding one tbsp.

of olive oil. Place the cubed beef, onion, garlic, oregano,

bacon and seasoned salt. Brown the beef, adding the

whiskey when the onions are transparent. Beware! Your

stove’s burner, if gas, may create a flame which will burn

off as the alcohol evaporates. Add the celery and potatoes

and continue cooking for five minutes. Reduce the heat to

medium and add the drained lentils with the beef base.

Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer and let

cook for twenty minutes, stirring occasionally. Bring the

soup back to boiling and add the cornstarch which has

been dissolved in one cup of cold water, stirring to desired

thickness. Simmer the soup for fifteen more minutes

adding salt and pepper to taste.

Serving suggestion:

This is wonderful paired with a freshly baked loaf of Irish

Soda Bread. A good, full bodied red wine makes this the

perfect meal. Serves 6.

Melissa Lee