Soup's On!

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Each year we gather during Holy Week to celebrate Maundy Thursday. "Maundy" comes from the Latin for "commandment," as in the new commandment Jesus gave his friends and disciples at that last supper before his death: "Love one another, as I have loved you."

At Bethany, we meet in Fellowship Hall for a meal, a liturgy of prayer and communion, and depart in silence.  This year, new member Rachael Huttner and Pastor Rebecca made vegetarian soup and bread and some folks wanted the recipes, so here they are:

Lentil Soup

3 C lentils
7 cups water/stock
2 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic
1 C+ chopped onion
1 C+ minced celery
1 C+ chopped carrot
black pepper
1 ½ C tomatoes/15 oz can crushed tomatoes
2 T red wine (optional; I skipped at Bethany)
2 T lemon juice
2 T molasses
1 T red wine vinegar

  • Put lentils in water with salt to simmer.
  • Chop vegetables. Saute in oil. Add to lentils once lentils have cooked anywhere from 1 – 3 hours (the original recipe says 3 but as long as they’re cooked; 3 definitely makes for a stewier soup).
  • Add tomatoes, spices, liquids a half-hour before serving.

 

Yeasted Bread
makes 2 loaves

SPONGE:
3 C warm water
1 ½ T yeast
¼ C sweetener
4 C flour (I often use bread flour, IF I have it. Otherwise: white flour)

  • Dissolve yeast in water
  • Stir in sweetener
  • Stir in flour to form thick batter.
  • Beat well, 100 strokes. Cover, leave 30 – 60 minutes

DOUGH:
4 tsp salt
1/3 C oil
3 C flour (white whole wheat, or whole wheat)

  • Fold in salt and oil.
  • Fold in additional flour (err on the side of too little) until dough comes away from sides of bowl.
  • Knead dough on floured board 10 minutes/as long as you can stand it.
  • In oiled, covered bowls, let rise 50 – 60 minutes.
  • Punch down. Cover. Let rise 40 – 50 minutes.
  • Shape into two loaves. Place in oiled pans. Cover. Let rise 20 – 25 minutes.
  • Bake at 350* for one hour.
  • Remove from pans to cool