Lentil soup refers to a variety of vegetarian and meat soups made with lentils. The soup may consist of green, brown, red, yellow, or black lentils. Lentil soups may contain vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, celery, parsley, tomato and onion. The most common flavorings include garlic, bay leaf, cumin, olive oil and vinegar. Lentil soup is sometimes garnished with croutons or chopped herbs or butter, olive oil, cream or yogurt.
Lentils were first unearthed in the Paleolithic and Mesolithic layers of the Franchthi Cave in Greece (9,500 to 13,000 years ago), in the Mesolithic at Mureybet and Tel Abu Hureyia in Syria, and sites dating back to 8,000 BC in the area of Jericho. The ancient Greeks were apparently lovers of lentil soup as attested by a comment by Aristophanes: "You, who dare insult lentil soup, sweetest of delicacies." Lentil soup is also mentioned in the Bible in
Genesis 25:30-34, where Esau is prepared to give up his birthright for a pot of fragrant red lentil soup being cooked by his brother Jacob. In Jewish tradition, lentil soup has been served at times of mourning, the roundness of the lentil representing the complete cycle of life.
Lentil soup is recognized as highly nutritious, a good source of protein, dietary fiber, iron and potassium. Hippocrates actually prescribed lentils for patients with liver ailments.
Anyone looking to enjoy some lentil soup should check out Frontier's Indiana Harvest Sausage Lentil Soup at O'Meagher Farms.
No comments:
Post a Comment