Last Night's Dinner

Before the 3:40 showing of Avatar in East Hampton yesterday, I made this lentil soup. When we returned from the movies, I reheated it and stirred in some parsley pureed with olive oil and lemon juice, for a quick dinner. At the last minute, I remembered to shave some best-quality Parmesan (from Cavaniola's; 89 Division Street, 725-0095) on top of each bowl.

Lentil Soup with Lemon and Parsley
Serves 4

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
2 cups low-sodium canned chicken broth
3 1/2 cups water
1 cup packed fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon lemon juice

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and cayenne pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Stir in the lentils, broth, and water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the lentils are soft, about 30 minutes.
3 While the lentils are cooking, combine the parsley, remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a blender and blend until smooth. Scrape into a bowl and set aside.
4. Puree one cup of the cooked lentils and broth and stir the puree back into the pot. Stir in the parsley mixture. Season the soup with the salt and pepper and serve.