Lentil-Cabbage Soup

For the soup base:

• 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped or grated
• 1 rib celery with leafy top, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped or grated
• 2 large fresh bay leaves
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon cumin seed, a scant palmful
• 1 tablespoon caraway seed, a scant palmful
• A bundle of parsley or parsley stems
• 1 head Savory or white cabbage, quartered, cored and thinly sliced or chopped
• ¼ cup cider vinegar
• One 28-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
• ½ cup combined finely chopped dill and flat leaf parsley

For the lentils:

• 1 cup beluga lentils
• 1 onion, halved
• Salt

For the soup base, heat a large Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat with oil, 2 turns of the pan. Add carrot, celery, onion, garlic, bay, salt, pepper, cumin and caraway, partially cover and cook to soften 5 minutes. Add parsley and cabbage, stir, season with more salt and pepper, and cook partially covered to soften 10 minutes. Add vinegar, tomatoes and stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30-45 minutes. Add cooked lentils and adjust seasoning.

For the lentils, fill a pot with 1 quart water and bring to a boil. Add lentils, onion and salt the water. Cook lentils 20-25 minutes until just tender, drain and rinse.

If serving with waffle fries, follow directions on package to bake waffle fries to crisp. Turn off the oven and season the fries with salt, pepper and a light sprinkle of smoked sweet paprika. Top with grated sharp white cheddar cheese and let the fries sit in warm oven another 2-3 minutes to melt cheese. Top with dollops of sour cream or crème fraiche mixed with lots of minced chives and seasoned with a little granulated onion and garlic to taste.

Serve bowls of soup topped with dill and parsley on a larger plate as an underlining dish with the waffle fries and a dollop of sour cream alongside.