It’s Fall!!! Well, almost… the official autumnal equinox is in T-2 days! It’s one of the loveliest times of the year… soup time!

One of my favorite soups to make each season is this Sage Sausage and Garlic Lentil Soup. It’s hearty like stew and plenty enough for an entrée. Especially when I make it with sausage and served with a toasted baguette.

The secret ingredient to making any soup, I believe, is in the stock you use. Starting with a flavorful and fresh base will not only enhance the taste of all your ingredients… it will lengthen the life of your soup… whether you’re having it for leftovers the next day or freezing it for a later time.

I recommend… for just about any soup… my *vegetable garlic broth. Not only is it a healthy anti-oxidant added to your soups… but it’s delicious all by itself. I like to sip a cup of it when I’m not feeling well. You won’t have the best breath… but you’ll feel a lot better! Also, so many people make the mistake of using chicken stock in vegetable soups… including tomato, potato and butternut squash soups. This not only changes the health benefits of your soups, but keeps our vegetarian friends from enjoying a purely vegetarian dish. If you’ve ever had soup at my house and wondered what that “oh my gosh!” taste was – it’s the garlic broth. There… my secret is out!

Start Here: *Vegetable Garlic Broth
you can make as much or as little as you like… I prefer to make the largest batch I can manage so I can freeze small containers worth and have this ready to add to any soup, any time. This recipe is based off of 2.5 quarts. (More recipes to come using this tasty broth!)

2.5 qts vegetable stock preferably from scratch but try to use organic if purchasing cans or boxes of broth (it’s roughly six 14oz cans).
4-5 tablespoons (heaping) coursely diced garlic (roughly 2 bulbs)
2 bay leaves
3 tbsp olive oil
3 pinches dried sage
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 pinch salt

Add all ingredients to the stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat… cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth. Use immediately for soup or freeze in individual portions. TIP: freezing broth in ice cube trays allows you to use small portions at a time.

Nutritional info per serving:
110 calories
6 g total fat (1 g sat)11 g carbohydrates
5 g protein
0 g fiber
150 mg sodium

Now… onto the Lentil Soup!

Ingredients
4 cups dried lentils
1 med fennel bulbs, diced (substitute celery or leeks if not in season, 1.5 cups)
1 lb sage sausage (*feel free to eliminate this if you want a vegetarian dish)
1 med sweet onion, diced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 extra virgin olive oil
1 quart garlic broth
1/2 quart water

Preparation
Dice onion, and fennel. Remove fern and stalks from fennel (this can be done a head of time and can be used for the vegetable stock). Wash lentils and remove any pebbles or rocks. Leave springs of Rosemary whole.

Ready to Cook?
Brown sausage in olive oil in bottom of large stock pot, 5-7 minutes. Add onion & fennel, cooking for an additional 3-5 minutes until tender. Add white wine and cook until mixture is almost dry. Add garlic broth and water, lentils and rosemary sprigs, bring to a boil; then reduce to a low simmer and cover. Should simmer for 45-60 minutes. Be sure to stir occasionally as lentils will stick to bottom of pot. Remove from heat and let rest. Test to make sure lentils are tender. If soup thickens too much, add broth until you achieve desired consistency. Should be thick like stew but not solid, broth should be evident.

Serve with shaved Parmesan or Manchengo cheese on top.

The Perfect Bite
Be sure your first mouthful includes a chunky piece of sage sausage! This is also great served with toasted French baguettes or and warm flour tortilla. Scoop some up on the bread and enjoy!

The Perfect Pairing
Lentil soup is an “Old World” kind of dish… digging deep into a hearty bowl of these earthy legumes makes me feel like I should be sitting at a rustic and gnarly wooden farm table, seated outside under an old equally gnarly oak that over looks the expanse of a ripe vineyard. So this calls for a pairing like Bogle Old Vine Zinfandel. Its smooth yet peppery tones perfectly compliment the spicy sausage and garlicky lentils. Enjoy!

Did You Know?
Whole books have been written about garlic, an herb affectionately called “the stinking rose” in light of its numerous therapeutic benefits. Did you know that garlic is a member of the Lily Family? Just like Allium Lilies (which I’m growing in pots in my front yard), garlic is rich in a variety of powerful sulfur-containing compounds. While these compounds are responsible for garlic’s characteristically pungent odor, they are also the source of many of its health-promoting effects. All of which help promote a healthy heart and act as a anti-inflammatory agent. Read here for more benefits of garlic!