One of my favorite things about giving up meats for Lent is the chance it gives us to try out new and delicious vegetarian dishes. This, Pappa al Pomodoro, is a tomato soup we’ve often ordered at various Italian restaurants, but had never tried to make at home… until today.

What it is, basically, is tomato soup. Simple, delicious tomato soup- and when made with the best ingredients available, it’s spectacular.

Tomato soup, spectacular? Trust me. This is good stuff.

Homemade Pappa al Pomodoro

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes (**Important: buy the BEST canned tomatoes you can find, preferably from Italy, organic if possible)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 quart low-sodium chicken stock
3-4 cups day-old country-style bread, chopped or torn
grated Parmesan (or Parmigiano-Reggiano, if you have it)
fresh basil leaves, optional

In a medium sized soup pot over medium, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, and about 3/4ths of the onion. Cook for around 7 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and the garlic soft (but NOT burnt). Add diced and crushed tomatoes, and season with salt & pepper.

Add chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce to simmer, add bread pieces- and stir as it simmers… keep stirring and it will thicken, like a stew. You want it nice and thick, but not too thick that you can’t drink it like a soup.

Remove from the heat, season some more if necessary, and serve with grated parmesan and fresh basil (if you like).

The secret to the goodness of this soup is to serve it with a healthy- and I mean generous dollop of good sour cream. I’m serious when I say that eating this soup somehow makes me feel better right away- is it the sunny orangeness of the carrots? Or the chicken soup base? Whatever, this is soup that makes you sigh. Try it and see:

Carrot & Lentil Soup

Ingredients:
5 large carrots, chopped roughly into medium pieces
5 ounces red lentils
1 large yellow onion, chopped roughly into medium pieces
1 large can (16 oz) whole tomatoes
2 cups homemade chicken stock
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

For garnish: chopped fresh chives, sour cream

Begin frying onions with the tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan. Cook them until translucent only (do not brown). Add in the carrots, and continue cooking for a few minutes. Add chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Add the lentils, turn heat down, and let simmer for around fifteen minutes.

When the carrots and lentils are soft, blend the soup with a hand blender (or a potato masher, in a pinch), adding more stock or water to get it to the consistency of your choice. Add the canned tomatoes, and blend some more. Bring it back to a boil for a minute or so. Serve topped with chopped chives and the aforementioned sour cream.

This is what I am cooking for dinner later today. I tried it once and everyone liked it so I thought I’d give it another go. The idea is to make something a bit different from what we’re used to and still use a healthy cut, such as chicken breast. Here’s the recipe, straight from my kitchen.

Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken breasts
Salt
Pepper
Japanese bread crumbs
1 egg
Mozzarella cheese (sliced thinly)
Olive oil

Cooking instructions:
1. Wash the meat thoroughly and pat dry.
2. Season well with salt and pepper. It depends on how much flavor you want. Set aside for about 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Heat some olive oil in a thick pan – go round the pan 2 or 3 times.
4. Beat the egg and then dip the chicken breasts in it.
5. Roll the chicken breasts in the Japanese bread crumbs so that they are completely covered.
6. When the oil is hot enough, place the chicken breasts in the pan.
7. Fry on medium heat and get your mozzarella slices ready
8. After about 6 minutes, turn the chicken breasts over.
9. Place a slice of mozzarella on top of each chicken breast – you can add more if you want a cheesier piece.
10. Leave frying for another 6 minutes or so.
11. Serve hot with rice or any other favorite side dish.

I love how the Japanese bread crumbs give you that crunchy texture, which combines well with the gooey stickiness of the melted mozzarella. Another option for seasoning is to use a bit of fish sauce instead of salt. Try it!

Ingredients2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
6 cups water
1 cup red lentils
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1 (19 ounce) can cannellini beans
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil

What’s Next
In large pot saute; the onions, garlic, and ginger in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes.
Add the water, lentils, chick peas, white kidney beans, diced tomatoes, carrots, celery, garam masala, cardamom, cayenne pepper and cumin. Bring to a boil for a few minutes then simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or longer, until the lentils are soft.
Puree half the soup in a food processor or blender. Return the pureed soup to the pot, stir and enjoy!

You’ll never use canned chicken broth again after tasting this. It’s delicious, economical, and can be made in batches then frozen in ice cub trays or tupperwares and taken out as you need it.

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces
6 cups water
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, quartered
1 tablespoon dried basil

What’s Next

Place the chicken pieces, celery, carrots, onion, and basil in a slow cooker. Cook on Low setting for 8 to 10 hours. Strain before using, and discard vegetables. Chicken may be removed from the bones, and used in soup.