Brown lentil soup "Pirgos"

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 200 g lentils brown, dried
• 300 g red wine, dry
• 8 g beef broth powder
• 1 medium-sized potato(s), waxy
• 1 small carrot(s)
• 2 small spring onions, approx. 30 cm long
• 1 small zucchini, approx. 25 cm long
• 1 m.-large onion(s), brown
• 4 medium-sized garlic cloves, fresh
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• n. B. red wine vinegar to taste
• n. B. Salt to taste
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil for frying
• 4 m.-large bay leaves
• ½ tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• ½ tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
• 1 tsp oregano, fresh or dried
• 1 tsp rosemary, fresh or dried
• 1 cinnamon stick(s), approx. 5 cm long
• 1 tbsp white sugar
• e.g. celery leaves
• n. B. Walnut kernels, halved

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Rest time approx. 8 hours; Cooking/baking time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 8 hours 45 minutes

Spicy lentil soup as cooked in spring in the southern mountains of Crete.

Wash the lentils and soak them overnight in 300g of water. Strain and drain the lentils. Cook the lentils with the red wine, 100g of water, and the instant beef broth for 10 minutes, then let them cool slightly in the liquid. Meanwhile, wash, peel, and chop the potato and carrot. Wash the spring onions. Cut the white part crosswise into approximately 1.5cm wide pieces. Cut the green part into thin rolls and set aside. Trim both ends of the zucchini and cut into approximately 2cm long pieces. Strain the lentils, reserving both the lentils and the cooking water. Place the cooking water, approximately 100g of the lentils, the tomato paste, and 150g of water into a blender and blend until smooth for 1 minute at full speed. Return the whole and pureed lentils to the saucepan along with the potato and carrot pieces and bring to a simmer. Add the spices and sugar. After simmering for 10 minutes, stir in the white spring onions and zucchini. Meanwhile, halve the onion lengthwise, trim both ends, peel, and finely chop. Trim both ends of the garlic cloves, peel, and finely chop. Heat a medium-sized pan, add the olive oil, and heat until hot. Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent, then add both to the lentils, stir, and season with salt and red wine vinegar. Add the green spring onions and simmer for another minute. Ladle the lentil soup among serving plates, garnish with celery leaves and walnut halves, and serve with white bread.