As promised: Emily, this first recipe has way too much detail, but as Pascal said, "I didnt have time to make it shorter." I wrote it for a friend in Scotland who is a novice cook. So you get the whole shebang. Lentil Minestrone with Greens (Martha Rose Shulman) 1 T. olive oil 4 pieces of smoked bacon, chopped 1 small onion, chopped 1 large or two small carrots, minced 4 large garlic cloves, minced 1 (14-oz.) can tomatoes, seeded and chopped, with juice 1/2 tsp. dried thyme (1 teaspoon fresh leaves) 1/2 tsp. dried oregano (1 teaspoon fresh leaves) 3/4 pound lentils (about 1 1/2 cups), picked over and rinsed (Rinse in a strainer - you're checking for gravel mainly) 1 Parmesan rind a few sprigs each of fresh flat-leaf parsley and fresh thyme 1 bay leaf a few pinches of cayenne pepper (to taste) Salt Freshly ground pepper (to taste) 1/2 pound Swiss chard, stalks removed, leaves washed and chopped 1/2 cup small pasta or Arborio rice 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, for serving Heat the oil over medium-low heat in a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven (a fairly big one) and add the bacon, onion and carrot. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes or a little longer and stir in the garlic. Cook, stirring, just until the garlic smells fragrant and is beginning to color, about 1 minute, and stir in the tomatoes, dried thyme and dried oregano. Turn the heat to medium and bring the tomatoes to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down somewhat and smell fragrant. Stir in the lentils and 8 cups of water and bring to a boil. You can go this far with the recipe up to 4 days ahead. [Very handy!] Tie the Parmesan rind, parsley and thyme sprigs and bay leaf together with kitchen twine or tie in a piece of cheesecloth. Add to the soup. Add the cayenne, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add salt, about 2 teaspoons to begin with (you will probably add more) and simmer another 15-30 minutes, until the lentils are tender and the broth fragrant. Add pepper to the soup and stir in the chard and pasta. Continue to simmer for another 10-15 minutes until the pasta is cooked through. Taste. Is there enough salt? Garlic? Adjust the seasonings and remove the Parmesan rind bundle. Stir in the chopped parsley. Serve, topping each bowlful with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese. This soup will taste wonderful for several days after (great leftovers). It will get thick but you can thin it with water. Or you can leave it thick and use as a topping like hummus for bruschetta. Cut thick slices of good, crusty country bread, toast, rub toast with a cut garlic clove. Warm the thick soup, spread on the bread, sprinkle on some Parmesan and eat. Things to do differently: Leave out the bacon for vegetarians. It will be fine. Substitute bits of ham or a mildly seasoned sausage for the bacon. You can either slice the sausage or peel the skin off and cook it loose or use loose sausage you buy. Add celery with the carrot and onion. If you buy (or can find) some fresh thyme, just use it and skip the dried herbs. Strip off the little leaves and put some in early then add more fresh sprigs later in the bouquet garni (that's the bunch of stuff you tie together). Use le puy lentils if you can find them. Those are really tiny green French ones, very tender. In bulk they're cheap but if you can't find them or can only find an expensive package use regular green lentils. They'll still be good. The Parmesan rind (the crusty edge on the fat end of the wedge) gives incredible flavor to a meatless broth. Always save Parmesan rinds! You can take it and all the fresh herbs and make a little bag out of a clean hankie or similar cheap white fabric, or stuff everything in an oversized mesh teaball or take clean string and tie all the herbs by the stems and just dump the Parmesan rind in the liquid. Swiss chard might be called Silverbeet in the U.K. It is in Australia. But spinach will work just great and you might find spinach leaves already cleaned for salad (timesaver!) Instead of pasta or rice (can actually be any white rice) use cubes of potato if you like - white baking potatoes peeled or little red potatoes unpeeled. This really is a very forgiving recipe. Feel free to experiment. Also, if you have a spoonful or two of tomato paste you could add that in with the tomatoes. Or if there's a bit of leftover tomato juice in the refrigerator or chicken broth, use that as part of the 8 cups of liquid. And if you have a little basil or sundried tomato pesto, stir that in at the end. But just a spoonful or so. Nice addition but totally unnecessary. Gilding the lily. Okay, so there's a nice comfort soup. Serve with hearty bread and a cheap red wine and you have a meal. Cookies or ice cream or pears or little tarts with coffee make a perfect dessert (if you have room). Moosewood Lentil Soup 3. c. raw lentils, rinsed 7 c. water or stock 2 t. salt 2 t. minced garlic 1 c. chopped onion 1 c. minced celery 1 c. chopped carrots Lots of freshly ground black pepper 1-1/2 c. chopped, fresh tomatoes, or equivalent canned 2 T. dry red wine 2 T. lemon juice 1-1/2 T. molasses (I think it can do very well without this.) 1 T. wine vinegar, or more to taste (Old recipe  Balsamic is nice, but less than 1 T. to start.) Combine raw lentils, water or stock, and salt and simmer, covered, for 3 to 4 hours. Then steam the garlic, onion, celery and carrots together in a saucepan, and add to lentils. Continue to simmer on low heat for about an hour. Add black pepper, tomatoes, dry red wine, lemon juice, molasses, and wine vinegar about 30 min. before serving. Sprinkle extra vinegar and freshly-chopped green onions onto each serving. [I donÂt make this by MoosewoodÂs method. Use ½ butter ½ olive oil (or all olive) and sauté onion, celery and carrots. DonÂt add garlic until the last minute. Sautéeing garlic too long brings out volatile bitter oils. Heat water to boil and pour over sautéed vegetables to bring up any good crusty bits. (Works better with meat, but oh well . . .) Add lentils and cook 30-45 minutes. Check for tenderness and cook longer if needed. Add remaining ingredients, checking after each for taste. With butter or olive oil you wouldnÂt need all the wine, lemon juice, vinegar.] Lentil Vegetable Soup The recipe and text are from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, by Ina Garten. This is a delicious and hearty winter soup that gets a lot of its flavor and texture from French lentils. They are the small green ones that are available from specialty food stores or by mail order. French lentils make this soup taste fresher and less starchy than the traditional American ones. Note: As lentil soup sits, it will thicken; just add more chicken stock to get the right consistency.Red wine vinegars vary greatly in strength. Put half the vinegar into the soup, taste it, and then add the rest if you want more. Yield: 8 to 10 servings Ingredients: 1 pound French green lentils 4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 large onions) 4 cups chopped leeks, white part only (2 leeks) 1 Tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves) 1/4 cup good olive oil, plus additional for drizzling on top 1 Tablespoon kosher salt 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 1 Tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried 1 teaspoon ground cumin 3 cups medium-diced celery (8 stalks) 3 cups medium-diced carrots (4 to 6 carrots) 3 quarts chicken stock 1/4 cup tomato paste 2 Tablespoons red wine or red wine vinegar Method: Freshly grated Parmesan cheese. In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drain. In a large stockpot on medium heat, sauté onions, leeks and garlic with the olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme and cumin for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are translucent and very tender. Add the celery and carrots and sauté for 10 more minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomato paste and lentils. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, until the lentils are cooked through. Check the seasonings. Add the red wine and serve hot, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with grated Parmesan. Lentil Soup with Sun-Dried Tomatoes Recipe By :Prevention Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 large onion -- chopped 2 cloves garlic -- minced 4 cups water or broth 3 cups water 2 cups dried lentils 1 cup carrots -- sliced 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon dried basil 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes -- drained and slivered 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar salt 1 cup very small shell pasta 1. Warm oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Sauté 3 minutes. Add broth, water, lentils, carrots, oregano, basil, rosemary, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add tomatoes. Simmer 15 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir often. Stir in vinegar. Season with salt and more vinegar, if desired. 2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and stir into the soup. Makes about 12 cups. Sausage Soup With Spinach and Wild Rice Serving Size : 8 Categories : One-Dish Meals Soups And Stews Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1/2 cup uncooked wild rice 1 1/2 cups water 1 pound Italian sausage (can use lowfat turkey) 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 cup chopped onion 3 garlic cloves -- crushed 3 cups water 3 tablespoons tomato paste 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried basil 3 16-oz. cans fat free, less-sodium chicken broth 1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes -- undrained 1 cup lentils (optional) 12 cups torn spinach -- (one bag) 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper grated fresh Parmesan cheese Bring 1-1/2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add wild rice; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until tender. Set aside. Cook the sausage in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until browned; stir to crumble. Drain sausage; set aside. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add garlic, and saute for 1 minute. Add the sausage, 3 cups water, and the next 5 ingredients (water through tomatoes); bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in cooked wild rice, spinach, salt, and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls; sprinkle with cheese. Description: "BakingCircle Member Recipe" Vegetable Soup With Pasta and Greens Recipe By : Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:55 Categories : One-Dish Meals Soups And Stews Vegetarian Entrees Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 carrots halved lengthwise and sliced 2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced 1 red bell pepper, diced 14 1/2 ounces can stewed tomatoes, chopped with juices 2 cups chicken broth 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 cups shredded chard, spinach or kale 1/2 cup orzo or other small pasta 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese In a nonstick kettle, heat the oil until hot but not smoking over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and cook, stirring frequently, until the carrots are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and bell pepper and cook, stirring freqently, until the pepper is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices and cook, stirring freqently, until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Stir in the broth, 1 1/2 cups of water, the basil and salt and bring to a boil. Stir in the greens and pasta, return to a boil, and cook until the pasta is just tender, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the parmesan on top. Great reheated. Just add more water as the pasta will continue to absorb liquid. I have more recipes, but this should get you started. The Martha Shulman recipe and the Ina Garten recipe are probably closest to what youÂre looking for. The sausage soup is also very good, a real tried-and-true. I have varied that recipe in all kinds of ways and itÂs never failed me. The final recipe is my variation of a Moosewood one. It doesnÂt have lentils, but itÂs very good. Worth considering (when spinach is safe again). Carol

Well, I made a nice chili this weekend, using the three types pictured at top. Very nice and filling, but not especially pretty. I also made a lentil salad (first time) with diced red and yellow peppers and both the green and the white parts of green onions, and a vinagrette of olive oil and lemon balsamic vinegar. Very pretty! The lentils lost a lot of the black color, and were more dark brown, but the diced veggies glowed like little jewels. (You have expected it to be sweet, and the peppers actually were.) Lousy photo with my cell phone:

A lot of Italian families have Biscotti with their breakfast coffee: Sobe Biscotti Makes 32 biscotti Source: Burt Wolf's Local Flavors, Miami, Florida The Miami Beach restaurant Nemo serves these biscotti with an assortment of fruit sorbets. Pastry chef Hedy Goldsmith suggests an easy way to line the loaf pan with foil. "Invert the loaf pan and mold the foil around the outside. Turn the pan over and place the molded foil right in the pan." 4 ounces (1 1/2 cups) thinly-sliced almonds Butter or Pam vegetable spray 4 eggs, separated 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 3/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon salt Grated zest of 1 lemon, finely grated 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1/2 cup dried sour cherries 1/2 cup dried cranberries Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the almonds out on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside to cool. Line a 5 x 9 1/2-inch loaf pan with foil on all sides. Butter or spray Pam all over the inside of the pan and set aside. TO PREPARE THE BATTER: Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites with the lemon juice until they just begin to hold stiff peaks. Gradually add 1/4 cup of the sugar to the whites and continue to beat on high until they hold firm, stiff peaks. Transfer the beaten whites to a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks, vanilla, and salt together until the mixture becomes thick and then add the lemon zest. With a wide blade rubber spatula, fold this egg yolk mixture into the beaten whites, once it is incorporated, gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. Then fold in the sifted flour and then the toasted almonds, cherries and cranberries. Turn the batter out into the prepared loaf pan. Use the back of a spoon, dipped in water, to smooth out the top. Place the loaf pan into the oven and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, cover the loaf pan with a piece of foil. This will prevent the top of the loaf from becoming too brown. Return the loaf to the oven and continue to bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center. Remove the loaf from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Invert the loaf onto a plate, remove the foil, and immediately wrap with a fresh piece of foil. Allow to cool to room temperature and then place into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. FOR THE SECOND BAKING: Place the two oven racks on the top third and the bottom third of the oven to create two tiers and preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Unwrap the loaf and using a serrated knife, cut the loaf into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place the slices on a baking sheet and bake two sheets at a time until the cookies are lightly golden: this should take about 30 minutes. You want the cookies to be dry and crisp, but not too dark in color. Halfway during the baking, reverse the baking sheets to ensure that they cook evenly. Once the cookies are dry and crisp, place them on a cooling rack to cool completely and then serve. Store in an airtight container. Recipe courtesy of Pastry chef Hedy Goldsmith, Nemo, Miami Beach, Florida

Aha - you're from Australia :) That's why you are posting a winter soup in August when I think its still summer! Thanks for the recipe, it sounds good to me - how much curry powder do you use - or do you just put it in 'to taste'?