A great way to use your garden bounty.
-
3
onions
chopped
-
3
tablespoons
unsalted butter
-
2
leeks
white and green parts, washed and chopped
-
2
carrots
chopped
-
2
celery ribs
chopped
-
1/4
pound
button mushrooms
chopped
-
1
cup
potato peelings / scraps
-
1/3
cup
plus 12 cups water
-
1/4
cup
lentils
-
6
unpeeled garlic cloves
-
1/2
teaspoon
black peppercorns
-
1/2
teaspoon
dried thyme
-
1
bay leaf
-
12
long whole parsley sprigs
-
1
teaspoon
salt
-
Cook the onions with butter in a large stockpot until golden. Add in the leeks, carrots, celery, mushrooms, potato peelings, and the 1/3 cup water. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 5 minutes, covered.
-
Add in the 12 cups of water, lentils, garlic, peppercorns, thyme, bay leaf, parsley sprigs, and salt. Bring to a boil, the simmer on low, uncovered, for about 2 hours.
-
Strain through a fine sieve and cool properly.
-
Chill overnight to skim the fat, then use.
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine, October 1989