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When I was young, I'd come home after school to mouthwatering aromas from whatever my mother or grandmother had been preparing for dinner. 

We didn't have a lot of money, so whatever was being cooked would generally be defined as "peasant food" - an inexpensive dish to feed a family of 7 on a budget.  Most of these dishes were Italian in origin - lots of pastas, beans, and vegetables.

I didn't realize then that these foods that spoke to me of the love and caring that went into them were also good for me!

One of the basics was lentil soup - not the fancy lentils as prepared by chefs like Marcella Hazan, but a basic recipe consisting of lentils, butter, onions, and tomatoes. 

It's an act of self-care for me to prepare that recipe today - when I walk into the kitchen and smell it simmering on the stove, I am brought right back to childhood and feel the love of Mom and Gram coming down through the years to embrace me.

I'm sharing that recipe with you below. I hope you enjoy it.

Mangia Bene!

Best,

Susan

You'll need one pound of brown lentils, several onions, 1 28 ounce can of tomatoes, salt, butter, and about 2 hours. 

First, chop the onions.  When Gram wrote the recipe down for me, she said 4-5 medium onions.  I find the onions I usually have on hand from my CSA Farm Share are much larger, so I'll only need 2, maybe 3.  You want approximately 2 cups, chopped.

Next, melt the butter on medium low heat.  You can use from 2-4 tablespoons, depending on how rich you want the soup.  I know that southern Italian cooking usually uses oil, not butter...but Gram refused to use oil.  (She said it was because she had been forced to drink a spoonful of castor oil every day as a child (back in the early 1900s), but whatever the reason, that's what we did in my family - always butter, never oil.  She lived until she was 95, so the butter didn't hurt.)

Saute the onions in the butter until golden and they just begin to brown around the edges. Don't rush this, as this is where the soup's flavor develops.

When the onions look good, add the tomatoes.  You want the best you can afford. I typically use either tomatoes from the garden that I've frozen, or Bianco di Napoli, but as long as they taste good, whatever brand you like will work. Whole tomatoes are fine, as they will cook down.  Chopped are okay as well, but don't use commercial "diced" tomatoes - they are treated with something to keep their shape and they won't dissolve into the soup.

Simmer the onions and tomatoes for 25 minutes.

Rinse the lentils, and add to the onion mixture. Stir for a minute or so, add salt to taste (Gram would usually add a tablespoon, which is more than modern tastes can handle, lol).

Add 6 cups water.  If the soup is thicker than you like, you can add more water as they simmer.

Simmer for about 45 minutes, until the lentils are tender.  If you feel like splurging, slice a package of hot dogs into disks and add 10 minutes before serving.

We would always have these with fresh bagels and butter on the side, but when I don't have fresh baked NY Bagels on hand, I have found that crusty bread works just fine.

Save 20% on Cestari's Medium Storage Jar.  It will hold a one pound bag of lentils and keep them airtight, fresh, and pest-free...as well as looking great on your counter or pantry shelves. Save 20% with code LENTILJAR  through January 23 at the Cestari store on Amazon

• Joshua from Oregon shares, 'For me, nothing smells like love more than my grandmother's blackberry pie. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, we used to pick wild blackberries together every summer. The aroma of the pie baking in the oven, filled with those fresh berries, always brings back the warmth of those days spent with her.'

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• Maria from Texas says, 'The scent of freshly made tortillas takes me back to my childhood kitchen. My mother would prepare them from scratch for family dinners. That comforting, warm smell enveloping the house meant love and family gatherings to me.'

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• Elena from New York reminisces, 'There's nothing like the smell of my dad's marinara sauce simmering on the stove. He immigrated from Italy and brought his family recipes with him. That rich, herby aroma filling our apartment in Brooklyn is my definition of love.'

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• David from Louisiana tells us, 'In my home, love smells like a pot of seafood gumbo. It's a special dish my mom makes for every family reunion. The mix of spices, seafood, and roux simmering for hours - it's not just food; it's our heritage and love in a bowl.'

   

   

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