Frankfurter and lentil soup goes long way when picking grapes
BY LINDA GASSENHEIMER McClatchy News Service
Wednesday, January 02, 2013
1/02/13 at 3:24 AM
Sitting on a hilltop overlooking the vineyards of the Kurger-Rumpf winery nestled in the rolling hills of the Pflaz area of Germany, I was thrilled by the scenery and the sumptuous spread laid out before me. In this idyllic setting, I had a hearty and delicious frankfurter and lentil soup after a sunny morning of picking grapes for the harvest. Ulrike Baum, one of my lunch companions, told me that this is a typical soup of the region, "It gives us fuel after work in the vineyards." It's a one-pot meal that will brighten an evening dinner.
ULRIKE'S FRANKFURTER AND LENTIL SOUP
Serves 2
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup coarsely chopped or grated onion
1 cup coarsely chopped or grated carrots
1 cup coarsely chopped or grated celery
4 cups water
1/2 cup dried lentils
1/2 pound lean frankfurters, cut into 1-inch slices (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 cup chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 slices German-style dark bread
1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and saute 5 minutes. Add the water and bring to a rolling boil.
2. Slowly add the lentils so that the water continues to boil. Cover and boil 15 minutes. Add the frankfurters and vinegar and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add the parsley and pepper to taste. Frankfurters contain salt. Taste the soup before adding more salt. Serve with the bread.
