I got this recipe back in 2012 from one of my all-time favorite magazines, Fine Cooking — which sadly isn’t around anymore. I’m so glad I printed it out at the time and somehow never lost that worn little piece of paper. It’s been a staple in our kitchen ever since, especially on colder, darker days when all you want is something cozy and nourishing. To make sure I never lose it, I wanted to post it here too.
Ingredients:
- 1 garlic clove
- ⅓-inch piece of peeled ginger
- ½ small fennel bulb, cored and cut into large chunks
- 1 carrot, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 1 parsnip, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 1 shallot, halved
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 cup brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
- 1 quart homemade chicken stock
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
In a food processor, pulse the garlic and ginger until finely chopped. Add the fennel, carrot, parsnip, and shallot, and pulse until coarsely chopped.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped vegetables and cook, stirring, until softened — about 3 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and cook for another 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Add the lentils, chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cover and cook until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
Transfer about 1½ cups of the soup to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Stir the purée back into the soup along with the remaining tablespoon of butter.
Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Add a splash of water if the soup is too thick.