Lentil And Broccoli Soup

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 lb broccoli (about 2 medium heads)
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for serving)
• 2 medium idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/3-inch cubes (about 1 pound)
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled
• 10 cups hot water
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 lb brown lentils or 1 lb green lentil
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino romano cheese

Recipe

• 1 cut the florets from the broccoli stalks; cut the florets into pieces of about 1/2 inch.
• 2 trim the rough bottoms from the stalks, peel the stalks, and cut them into 1/2-inch dice.
• 3 heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat; add in the potatoes and cook, stirring, until they are golden and begin to stick to the bottom of the pot (don't worry if they stick; the little brown bits will add lots of flavor to the soup).
• 4 whack the garlic with the flat side of a knife, stir it into the pot and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until you can smell the garlic.
• 5 pour in the hot water and bring to a vigorous boil, stirring as you do to scrape up any browned bits of potato.
• 6 toss in the bay leaves and cook for 15 minutes.
• 7 stir in the lentils, decrease heat to simmering, and let simmer 15 minutes.
• 8 stir in the broccoli; season the soup with salt and pepper; cook until the broccoli and lentils are very tender, about 15 minutes.
• 9 skim any foam that rises to the surface as the soup simmers.
• 10 remove the soup from the heat; pluck out the bay leaves, and let the soup rest off the heat, 10-15 minutes.
• 11 ladle the soup into warm bowls and drizzle with olive oil; pass the grated pecorino separately.