Lentil Minestrone

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra virgin to finish
• 2 cups finely chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 carrots, diced
• 1 cup diced celery or celery root
• Salt and freshly milled pepper
• 1 cup French green lentils, sorted and rinsed
• Aromatics: 2 bay leaves, 8 parsley branches, 6 thyme sprigs
• 9 cups water or Basic Vegetable Stock
• Mushroom soy sauce to taste
• 1 bunch greensmustard, broccoli rabe, chard, or spinach
• 2 cups cooked small pastashells, orecchiette, or other favorite shape
• Thin shavings of Parmesan, preferably Parmigiano- Reggiano

1. Heat the oil in a wide soup pot with the onion.
2. Saute over high heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the tomato paste, parsley, garlic, vegetables, and 2 teaspoons salt and cook 3 minutes more.
4. Add the lentils, aromatics, and water and bring to a boil.
5. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.
6. Taste for salt and season with pepper.
7. If it needs more depth, add mushroom soy sauce to taste, starting with 1 tablespoon.
8. (The soup may seem bland at this point, but the flavors will come together when the soup is finished.)
9. Remove the aromatics.
10. Boil the greens in salted water until theyre tender and bright green, then chop them coarsely.
11. Just before serving, add the greens and the pasta to the soup and heat through.
12. Serve with extra virgin olive oil drizzled into each bowl, a generous grind of pepper, and the Parmesan.

olive oil, onion, tomato paste, parsley, garlic, carrots, celery, salt, green lentils, aromatics, water, mushroom soy sauce, broccoli rabe, pastashells, shavings of parmesan

Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/lentil-minestrone (may not work)