DuPuy Lentil Soup

A simple wintery soup. I've indicated "beef broth concentrate" in the recipe, but any very rich beef broth will do. Just make sure the flavours are big and bold or they'll get lost in the warm richness of the other flavours.

Servings : 6

180g of bacon cut in small cubes (retain 4 Tbsps. of the rendered bacon fat)
5 onions, chopped (approx 800gr)
3 Bay laurel leaves
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
6 garlic cloves, minced
1½ cup DuPuy lentils
8 cups water
1½ Tbsp beef broth concentrate
¾ tsp salt

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Ground black pepper, to taste
Hot sauce, to taste

1. In a large casserole slowly render the bacon until it is brown and crispy. Cook the onion in the hot fat, along with the Bay leaves and cumin until the onion is tender. (Cooking the onions over low heat for a long time allows for the sweetness of the onion to come through). 
2. Add the garlic and cook another 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Toast the lentils in the hot bacon fat and onion mix for 2 to 3 minute.
4. Add a bit of the water to start and scrape up as much of the fond that developed from browning the onions as you can, then add the rest of the water and beef broth concentrate and bring to a boil. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 50 to 60 minutes, or until the lentils are completely soft.
5. Optional: Once the lentils are cooked, you can blend about a quarter of the soup. This will make it thicker.
6. Stir back in the rendered bacon, along with the salt, pepper and vinegar.
7. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
8. Serve with ground black pepper on top and, if desired, a few drops of hot sauce.

Black Bean Chocolate Chilli

I first made this while cooking at the Coming Home Café in New Westminster BC. It got a lot of attention, and I had people try to guess the ingredients. The funny thing was that the one ingredient most people didn't get were the red bell peppers... don't know why, it just is. The chocolate can be substituted with cacao powder and sugar, to taste; a 2 to 1 ratio should work, start with 1 Tbsp cacao and ½ Tbsp sugar and add to your taste.

2 Tbsps olive oil
1 large onion (10oz/285gr) chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 stalk celery (50g) sliced
1 jalapeno chilli, minced (or more, for more heat)

1 red bell pepper
1 Tbsp ground cumin
2 tsps oregano
½ tsp cinnamon
a pinch of ground cloves
1 tsp ground coriander
2 Tbsps chilli powder
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
2 x19oz cans black beans WITH the liquid
14oz (398mL) can diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1½ oz (about ¼ cup) 70% chocolate, grated

- OR 2¼ tsp cocoa powder 1¼ tsp sugar
Cheddar cheese, Sour cream, Scallions, Fresh Cilantro

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot and add onion and garlic; sauté until the onion becomes soft. Add the celery, chilli and bell pepper. Adjust the heat; cover and cook another 5 minutes.
2. Turn heat down to lowest setting and add the spices. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until spices are fragrant, stirring occasionally to prevent burning (ground spices can quickly burn. If the pan gets too dry add a little liquid from the diced tomatoes or some water)
3. Add the beans, the tomatoes, lime juice and soy sauce. Increase heat until you get a bit of a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer. Simmer for as long as you want, but it is ready in about 10 minutes, when the liquid starts to thicken.
4. Stir in the chocolate, adjust the seasoning and serve.
5. Top with Cheddar cheese, Sour cream, Scallions, Fresh Cilantro.

The Trouble with Naming - Beef Dip

I have this guilty pleasure - I love Beef Dip sandwiches, otherwise known as French Dip. I was a vegetarian for almost a decade. I decided to stop not because of a lack of will power, but because my body seemed to crave the ready and abundant protein of meat. I remember, at family gatherings when I was visiting my parents, I'd bring something down to the second refrigerator in the basement and there would be the left overs of the big family dinner from the night before. One little taste, I'd say, that's all, and then I'd loose self-control and eat by the fistful! Although I now eat meat, and try to eat organic, in the back of my mind I feel this twinge.

There, now that's off my chest, I want to talk about beef. Here's a recipe for pot roast for making Beef Dip. I prefer to call them Beef Dip since they are not French at all - the recipe comes from Los Angeles and the only thing French about it is the baguette!

3½ to 4 lbs. boneless chuck roast

½ cup soy sauce

1 beef broth

1 bay leaf

3 to 4 peppercorns

1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 to 2 cloves garlic, whole and slightly crushed

Baguette bread

1. Place roast in a pot only slightly larger than itself. Pre-heat oven to 325F.
2. Combine soy sauce and next 6 ingredients.
3. Pour over roast.
4. Add broth until roast is almost covered. Bring to a boil.
5. Put pot in oven, covered, for 3-4 hours or until very tender (internal temp should be 170F+).
6. Remove roast, reserving broth.
7. Shred the roast with a fork and serve in baguette sandwiches with the broth on the side for dipping.