You can easily double this recipe and refrigerate leftovers in airtight containers for up to 3 days. The soup can also be frozen for up to 3 months. We used French lentils, but other types of lentils may also be used.

　　

Ingredients

serves 8 to 10

　　2 tablespoons olive oil

　　1 small onion, finely chopped

　　2 carrots, finely chopped

　　1 stalk celery, finely chopped

　　1 small red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped

　　1 teaspoon dried oregano

　　1/2 cup French green lentils, rinsed and drained

　　3 tablespoons bulghur wheat

　　1 1/2 quarts Wild Mushroom Stock (recipe follows)

　　Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　

Wild Mushroom Stock

4 cups plus 3 1/2 quarts water

　　4 ounces dried porcini mushrooms

　　2 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　2 tablespoons olive oil

　　1 large onion, coarsely chopped

　　2 large carrots, coarsely chopped

　　2 parsnips, coarsely chopped

　　2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped

　　1 bunch (about 1 1/2 pounds) red or green Swiss chard, cut into 1-inch pieces

　　1 dried bay leaf

　　Several sprigs thyme

　　Several sprigs flat-leaf parsley

　　(makes 3 quarts)

　　

Step 1

Place a large saucepan over medium heat, and add the oil. Add the onion, and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the carrots, celery, bell pepper, and oregano until combined. Stir in the lentils and bulghur wheat.

　　

Step 2

Add the stock to the pot; cover, and simmer over low heat just until the lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

　　

Wild Mushroom Stock

Step 3

Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Place the dried mushrooms in a medium heatproof bowl; pour the boiling water over the mushrooms. Let stand until softened, about 20 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve into another bowl, reserving the liquid and mushrooms separately. Set aside.

　　

Step 4

In a medium stockpot, heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until caramelized, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the reserved mushrooms along with the carrots, parsnips, and celery; cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened and fragrant, about 20 minutes.

　　

Step 5

Stir the Swiss chard into the vegetable mixture in the pot. Add 3 1/2 quarts cold water, reserved mushroom liquid (being careful to leave behind any sediment), bay leaf, thyme, and parsley. Cover the pot, and bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, about 1 hour.

　　

Step 6

Remove the pot from the heat, and strain the mixture through a fine sieve or cheesecloth-lined colander into a large heatproof bowl or saucepan, pressing down on the vegetables with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Store the stock in airtight containers in the refrigerator up to 3 days or in the freezer up to 6 months.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.