Meema's New Year's Lentil Soup

Slow Food DC is starting a new blog series about our favorite recipes! We hope you'll get to know our board members through what we like to eat.This recipe comes from our outgoing secretary, Laura.Below is her interpretation of her grandmother's recipe for New Year's Lentil Soup. Italians believe that eating lentils (and wearing red underwear ;)) on New Years brings good luck - hopefully this will bring some to you, our readers! Like many grandmothers, Laura's conveniently leaves out parts of her recipes when she passes them on, so she has had to add in what she believes are the missing ingredients. This version has served her well, but Laura will admit "...my soup is never quite as good as my Meema's!"Meema's New Year's Lentil Soup1 lb lentils 1 lg. can of crushed tomatoes1 tsp. oregano1 clove garlic, finely choppedsalt/pepper to taste4 tablespoons olive oil2 carrots, chopped1 yellow onion, chopped2 stalks of celery, chopped4 quarts waterRinse the lentils in cold water. Sort and drain them. Simmer lentils uncovered in the 4 quarts of water, and then bring them to a boil. Add all the other ingredients, and simmer for 1.5 hours. Serve hot with crusty Italian bread!*To make this soup with sausage, take about a 1/2 lb. of sausage out of its casing and brown it. Add it to the lentils with the tomatoes and other ingredients.(photo used under Creative Commons license. From Flickr user ebarney)