Charred Cabbage and Lentil Soup By Ali Slagle

To make a soup that is different and perhaps more interesting than the last, play with how your usual soup ingredients are put to work. Instead of layering ingredients in the pot, build the foundational flavor in the oven. Here, cabbage is roasted until mostly charred and chip-like, while lentils, cubed carrots and onions simmer on the stove. When the smoky cabbage, sweet vegetables and earthy lentils meet in the bowl, they offer a range of textures you’d never achieve if everything boiled away together. (And once you roast cabbage, it’ll be hard to think of it as drab again.) As with most soups, this one’s adaptable: Roast sausage with the cabbage, use cauliflower instead of cabbage, or finish with lemon and so on.

1. Step 1

   Heat the oven to 450 degrees. On a sheet pan, toss the cabbage with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer and roast, stirring halfway through, until various shades of browned, from golden in parts to nearly burnt in others, 25 to 30 minutes.

2. Step 2

   Meanwhile, in a large pot, combine the water, lentils, onion, carrot, garlic, soy sauce, red-pepper flakes, thyme and Parmesan rind. Partially cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the lentils and vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes; season to taste with salt.

3. Step 3

   Divide the cabbage among bowls, then pour over the lentils and broth. Top with grated Parmesan, more red-pepper flakes and a drizzle of olive oil. (Leftovers will keep for a few days, but the cabbage will lose its crispness.)

 

Ingredients

Yield: 4 servings

• 1 to 1½pounds green cabbage, sliced 1-inch thick (from 1 medium cabbage)
• 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• Salt and pepper
• 6cups water, or vegetable or chicken stock
• 1cup green or brown lentils
• 1medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped
• 1medium carrot, coarsely chopped
• 3garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2tablespoons soy sauce
• ½teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
• 2thyme sprigs (or 1 small bay leaf or rosemary sprig, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
• 1Parmesan rind, plus grated Parmesan for serving