Pounded Walnut and Lentil Soup

...and grapefruit whiskey sours.

A quick supper really, from our favorite Deb Madison and her terrific book on vegetable soups.

The lentils should be soaked for an hour or two, so you can put them up and come back to them later when you're assembling the other ingredients. You'll need about 5 cups stock. If you don't have time to soak the lentils you'll need about 7.

Serve this with plenty of parsley to brighten everything and a simple maché or cress salad.

Pounded Walnut Lentil Soup

Soak 2 cups lentils in water for an hour or two
Prepare 5-7 cups stock

3 Tbsp butter
1 onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
2 medium carrots, finely diced
1 plump garlic clove
1/2 cup walnuts
1/3 cup créme fraiche or yogurt
salt
finely chopped parsley

Melt the butter in a soup pot and add the onion and bay leaf, sautéing about 10 minutes. Drain the lentils and give them a rinse. Add them to the onions and give them a good stir. Add the stock and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil and lower the heat, allowing the lentils to tenderize, about 20 minutes.

Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic clove and 1/4 tsp salt together. If the walnuts haven't been freshly shelled, slightly roast them in a cast iron pan. Pound the walnuts into the garlic and salt, adding 1 tsp of créme or yogurt at a time to create a smooth paste.

Add the carrot to the soup and continue to cook until everything is just tender.
Spoon a dollop of walnut paste into each bowl and sprinkle with a little handful of parsley.

. . .

Yep, Canadian Club makes a really good cocktail.

Whiskey Sours
ice cubes
Canadian Club or Jameson
limes
ruby grapefruits
sparkling mineral water
raw cane sugar

Sugar the lip of a highball glass and drop 4 ice cubes in. Pour 1 ounce of whiskey over them. Juice 1 lime or 1/2 grapefruit per glass and pour the juice over the whiskey. Sparkling water is a nice 3rd layer if you're inclined to a less potent taste.
Garnish with a wedge of grapefruit for lime, and vice versa for grapefruit.