COZY LENTIL SOUP WITH DELICATa SQUASH

This is a recipe from California Bountiful magazine. I have not tried it yet but it looks scrumptious for a cold winter's evening mean.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1  yellow onion, diced small
• 1⁄4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2  carrots, peele and diced small
• 2  celery ribs, diced small
• 1  medium  delicata squash, peel, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1  teaspoon curry powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cumin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  coriander
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1  cup dry green lentils, rinsed well
• 8  cups broth, vegetable or 8  cups chicken
• 1  cup  tightly packed kale, stemmed and thinkly sliced

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt and saute until translucent, about 4 mnutes. Add carrots, celery, squash and another pinch of salt and saute until all vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in curry powder, cumin, turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoons of salt and red pepper flakes. Add lentils and stir to coat. Pour in 1/2 cup of broth to deglaze the pot, stirring to loosen any bits stuck to the bottom and cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add remaining broth. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Decrease heat to low. Cover and simmer until lentils are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Taste and adjust salt, if needed. Stir in kale and cook until tender, about 3 minutes.
4. VARIATIONS: Substitute fennel for the celery to add more depth to the flavor. If you have trouble finding delicata squash, use its cousin, butternut squash.