Ubriaco Zuppa Di Lenticchie (Drunken Lentil Soup)

• 1 cup organic dried red lentils
• 1/3 cup red wine, preferably Beaujolais
• 1/2 can organic condensed vegetable broth
• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 dashes coarse sea salt
• 6 cloves garlic
• freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups water
• 2 dashes ground cumin (optional)
• 1 large organic lemon, juice and zest
• 4 squeezes of lemon juice to serve
• ground cumin to serve
• ground cayenne pepper to serve
• fine extra virgin olive oil to serve

1. Rinse the lentils thoroughly and drain in fine mesh sieve.
2. In a heavy saucepan (I use a terracotta soup pot) over medium heat add the oil. Add the onions and sweat till translucent.
3. Add the cumin and saute for 1 minute if using. Raise the temperature a little and add the red wine and let simmer 2 minutes. Add the lentils and stir in for a minute. Add the stock and let boil for 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and zest and the water. Toss in the garlic cloves. Mix well. Reduce heat to simmer, cover pot with a tight fitting lid and let soup cook for 15-20 minutes.
4. Soup should be thick and breaking down in texture at this stage. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your taste, I like lots of cracked pepper. Add more water if soup is thicker than you prefer and allow a few more minutes to cook with lid on. I like to add a bit more olive oil in this case.
5. Serve the soup hot, drizzled with a little good quality extra virgin olive oil, a crack of black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice OR a dash of olive oil, cumin and a dash of ground cayenne pepper if you like it spicy.

red lentils, red wine, vegetable broth, yellow onion, salt, garlic, freshly cracked black pepper, extra virgin olive oil, water, ground cumin, lemon, lemon juice, ground cumin, ground cayenne pepper, extra virgin olive oil

Taken from food52.com/recipes/8534-ubriaco-zuppa-di-lenticchie-drunken-lentil-soup (may not work)