with fresh ginger and Meier's No. 22 Sherry

   One evening at a Columbus, Ohio restaurant called Galantine's, during an academic farewell dinner for a departing university professor, shrimp bisque was the starter. The guest of honor's wife, a cooking teacher and food columnist, turned out to be very allergic to shellfish. So, for her, we warmed up the remains of the luncheon soup, a rather straightforward, but light lentil soup to which we added fresh ginger. She was charmed enough to print our recipe, hastily scrawled across a cocktail napkin, for her syndicated Columbus Dispatch food column. It was picked up across the country by numerous newspapers, including the Plain Dealer (Cleveland), and was included in an anniversary book of Dispatch readers' favorite recipes. Now gourmet trade insiders know that many chefs, cooking teachers, and their minion positively dote upon reworking and "developing" these recipes; the sherry and the Indonesian sambal, for instance, are actually some new ideas of mine. And down the road, one never knows where a favorite old recipe might next resurface, and in what guise!

  However, one non-negotiable is the use of Meier's No. 22 Sherry, a beautifully turned out Amontillado-like, medium-dry sherry that is absolutely perfect in the kitchen or as a bracing aperitif. No matter which fine Meier's Sherry you use in the kitchen, No. 11 (Bone Dry), No. 22, No. 33 (a light cream sherry) or our world famous No. 44 Cream Sherry (Ohio's world standard)...keep a wee bit extra on hand for "Cook's Nips!".

     1/2 pound dry lentils
     8 cups rich chicken broth (preferably home made)
     1/4 cup peanut oil
     1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaf
     1/2 - 1 teaspoon Indonesian Sambal Olek (a hot chili paste), or 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
     2 cups chopped, trimmed and well-washed leeks (white parts only, with about 2 inches of green)
     1 tablespoon minced garlic
     1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
     1 teaspoon Kikkoman Soy sauce (or to taste)
     1/2 cup Meier's No. 22 Medium-dry Sherry

        Place lentils in a large bowl. In a heavy saucepan, bring 6 cups of stock to the boil and pour over the lentils. Let the lentils soak 15 minutes.

   Meanwhile, in a a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the Sambal Olek and stir for a few seconds. Then add the leeks and lightly sauté 3 or 4 minutes, to soften. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté, stirring, another 2 minutes. Add the lentils and the stock from the bowl, plus the remaining 2 cups of stock. Simmer until the lentils are just tender, but not mushy, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and add soy sauce and the sherry. Adjust seasonings to taste. This recipe will produce 6 large servings.

Enjoy!

(Recipe Copyright © Tom Johnson)