Greek Lentil Soup

I obtained this recipe from Lenna Athanasopoulos, an acquaintance, just before she moved back to Krioneri, Greece, in 1997. I arrived at her house on a cold winter afternoon. The wonderful aroma of soup cooking filled the house, fogging all the windows. She insisted that I try it. After one spoonful, I agreed to a bowl. Afterwords, I begged for the recipe. This soup is unexpectedly rich in flavor; thick, and hearty. Serve with a crusty Italian or French bread smeared with butter. Perfect for lunch or as a light dinner. – jb

1 cup (8 oz.) – lentils
6 cups - water
1 large onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
4-5 bay leaves
2 tablespoons oregano
1 cube vegetable bullion (I use Knorr; Lenna didn’t use any)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil (Lenna used more)
4 oz. tomato sauce
pinch of sugar
1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar

Begin boiling the lentils while preparing the other ingredients. Add all the ingredients, except for the vinegar. Simmer, partially covered for 1 hour, stirring often. After one hour, turn off the heat, add the Balsamic and stir. Allow to sit a while before serving.

This soup, like most, tastes better the next day, but be careful when reheating to avoid burning it.