"If we are good basic people, then one can assume in us / An affinity for the leguminous."

(Title from the first lines of Roy Blount, Jr.'s Song to the Lentil)

Modifications: I halved the recipe but still used 2 cloves of garlic. I used chicken broth, as suggested. I also added a pinch of cumin and a sprinkle of dried thyme at the first step. A bay leaf went in when the liquids were added. Just before serving, I stirred in about a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar.

Preparation: simple and straightforward. However, I did not know there were different kinds of lentils until I was faced with them in the store. I chose Eston lentils because they were the first ones I had seen.

Verdict: A good soup! The Eston lentils worked out, although I'm curious about how other varieties would change the taste of the soup. The lentils and cumin combined to create an earthy taste. The hubby enjoyed the addition of harissa, but I found it gave too strong of a cumin flavour, and left it out of my bowl. It was nice to have some thickness without any milk/cream in the soup. Leaving some solids un-pureed also gave some crunch to the meal. I must say the appearance of the soup was not as appealing as the taste. A few celery leaves would help it look less unpleasant.

I'm happy to have another soup in my repertoire, especially a vegetarian one. I thought I'd note for future use that, unlike many recipes that seem to make more than they claim, halving this recipe did result in three servings.