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ITALIAN LENTIL SOUP Makes 8-10 servings

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 12 cups packed chopped kale Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional) HOW TO PREP: In a large bowl, cover the lentils with boiling water and allow them to sit for 15 minutes. Drain. In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat the olive oil and sauté the onions, garlic, salt, pepper and thyme for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are translucent and tender. Add the celery and carrots, and sauté for another 10 minutes. Add the sausage, and sauté until browned. Add the chicken stock, lemon juice and drained lentils; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, or until the lentils are cooked through and tender. Check the season ings and add more if needed. Add the fresh kale and simmer until wilted. Serve drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and Parmesan cheese. BUON ANNO ARROW-CIRCLE-RIGHT It wouldn’t be New Year’s in Italy without lentils, called lenticchie in Italian. The Italian tradition of eating lentils with pork on New Year’s Day to bring luck, prosperity and good fortune dates back to Ancient Rome; lentils are considered lucky because they resemble small coins. In Northern Italy, lucky lentils are served on New Year’s Day paired with big, fatty pork sausages native to the region, called cotechino, pronounced ko-te-kee no, because pork is a symbol of prosperity and wealth, but any sausage will do — it’s all about symbolizing abundance. Italian tradition dictates also that seven dried fruit and nuts be eaten to bring good luck and prosperity in the coming year: almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, walnuts, dates, raisins and

2 large garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon kosher salt

If using red lentils, adjust the cooking time. Red lentils cook in just over half the cooking time of brown and green. WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1 pound dried brown or green lentils, picked over ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving 4 cups diced yellow onions (about 3 large onions)

1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme) 3 cups medium-diced celery (about 8 stalks) 3 cups medium-diced carrots (4 to 6 carrots) 1 pound fresh Italian sausage, casings removed, cut in ½ lengthwise and sliced ¹⁄₃-inch thick 3 quarts chicken stock

PROSECCO ARROW-CIRCLE-RIGHT Italy produces more wine by volume than any other country in the world. The country’s 20 wine regions grow more than 350 unique varieties of grapes. Because these wine regions have been cultivating their fields for centuries, and sometimes millennia, they each bring distinct characteristics to the barrel, and later, the bottle. Prosecco is primarily made in Veneto, which is situated in Northeast Italy. It is bordered to the west by Lombardy and to the south by Emilia-Romagna. Verona, where Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet is set, is the wine capital of the region. It is also the home of Vinitaly, the enormous annual wine and spirits exhibition held every April. — David W. Brown

dried figs. Some also eat grapes. In the Piedmont region, rice repre

sents coins, much like lentils, so risotto is often served. While Italians have several varieties of risotto rice to choose from, here in the States, Italian-grown Arborio is the most widely used.

PHOTO BY ROMNEY CARUSO

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