Name: Escarole-Lentil Soup with Olives, Garlic, Lemon, and Parsley
Yield: Serves 4 as a main course
Ingredients: 2 to 4 garlic cloves; 3 tablespoons olive oil; ¼ to ½ teaspoon chilli flakes; ½ teaspoon coarse-grated lemon zest; Few tablespoons of red or white wine; Salt and pepper; 3 cups vegetable or meat broth; 4 cups water; ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves; 1 cup lentils, picked over and rinsed; 3 tablespoons pitted, coarse-chopped oil-cured black olives; 1 to 1¼ pounds escarole; 2 to 3 celery stalks; 1 medium carrot

Preparation info

Serves
4
as a main course

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Vegetables from Amaranth to Zucchini

By Elizabeth Schneider

Published 2001

About

Escarole turns juicy, melting, and mild when wilted, then simmered. Unlike most stewy soups, this one cooks quickly and needs no overnight mellowing period. The deep and winey olive broth has a meatiness akin to stock. I am a fan of tiny Black Beluga lentils, an unusually dark and flavorful cultivar, which I like to mix with the common green or brown ones. The French Verte du Puy is also pleasingly firm.