fit to your pattern
February 17 2010 by Kristin at The Kitchen Sink in Uncategorized » 15 comments
It’s not that I don’t celebrate or like or believe in Valentine’s Day. I’m just not an active participant. I’ll take the chocolate, I’ll seize on the opportunity to pop a bottle of sparkling wine, I’ll be charmed by the decorations crafted by school kids, who will pass lace-rimmed cards and packets of candy between each other—but, in the end, it’s just any other day, in my book.
Which, this year, was a very good thing. Because we spent this year’s installment of the red-and-pink-bedecked holiday holed up in the Duluth airport, a rather remote outpost in this country’s air travel grid, offering four gates, one coffee shop, a bar and zero bathrooms past security. On Sunday, Valentine’s Day, it also offered bad news—in spades.
But let me back up. Perhaps you’re wondering how this Chicagoan and her Valentine ended up at Duluth International Airport. And my answer is that we were celebrating the 80th birthday of my grandfather—he of the prosperous backyard garden, he of the enormous hands, he of the magical whistle, he of the marriage to which we should all aspire. We spent the weekend on the North Shore of Lake Superior celebrating this man, along with my parents and sister and cousins and aunt and uncles, in all the right ways: a Friday night cocktail party where the median age was well above 70; a big Saturday afternoon lunch, where we all ate too much and talked too loud; a Saturday night at a local bar that happens to serve exceptional pizza (not to mention offer Buck Hunter and a juke box and pull tabs and beer and, this weekend, a telecast of the Olympics); a Sunday morning in church, where the man of the hour himself sang in the choir, followed by the congregation’s annual chili cook-off.
An excellent weekend and a fitting fête to my grandpa, I would say. If only it ended there.
Instead, we spent the tail-end of the weekend riding out an extended delay in the Duluth airport. White-out conditions had us nervously anticipating delays on our drive to the airport. But, in the end, it was a mechanical problem, not the weather, that hampered us, requiring a mechanic to be flown in from Minneapolis (!). The announcement of the mechanic’s impending journey sent us to the bar, I’m not ashamed to admit, for a beer and a round of gin (the card game, people—it was only mid-afternoon!). It was the bright spot in a day that would see a series of delays until, well after dark, the flight was finally canceled, sending us to a nearby motel for lodging and the Outback Steakhouse for dinner. Like I said, Happy Valentine’s Day!
We got out early on Monday morning, early enough, even, to make it to work on time. Which turned a long Sunday into a long Monday and, well, I’m glad to be home. I’ve sworn off air travel for weeks (which will mean that this food blog can move away from its recent spate of travel posts) and am relishing the thought of being home.
We didn’t eat this soup for dinner on Monday night, when we were finally home, but it would’ve been entirely perfect. In addition to being healthy, hearty and very fast, this recipe, above all else, is an everyday affair. It’s a weeknight thing, or the kind of thing you parcel out into containers and tote to work for lunch. You’ll probably never make this soup for company, never get a request for the recipe, never append the prefix “Kristin’s Famous” to the recipe’s title. But, trust me, you’ll be glad you have it in your recipe file. It’s a lot like a normal Tuesday or Wednesday, unremarkable and fit to your pattern. But you like that pattern: its your pattern, so you take comfort in its reliability, its normalcy, its ease. Sometimes, a day (or a recipe) that’s solidly good, but not necessarily remarkable, is just what you need. Or, at least it’s what I’m craving these days, post-Valentine’s Day: The Duluth Airport Edition.
More photos from the weekend are here.
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Winter Lentil Soup
Real Simple
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Serves 6
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1 tablespoon olive oil
4 leeks (white and light green parts), cut into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, drained
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 bunch kale, thick stems removed and leaves cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1/2 cup brown lentils
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (1 ounce; optional)
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1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, breaking them up with a spoon, for 5 minutes.
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2. Add 6 cups water and bring to a boil. Stir in the sweet potatoes, kale, lentils, thyme, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Simmer until the lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Spoon into bowls and top with the Parmesan, if using.
15 comments so far. »
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Beautiful winter pictures! Sorry you had airport delays but I’m glad you got to be at your G-Pa’s 80th
Top 5 posts. Love it. So glad we were all together and thankful you and your camera where able to capture it all!
Wonderful pictures! Sunday was a horrible day for traveling, I’ve heard tons of stories about people being stuck in various airports. The lentil soup recipe sounds great —I love lentils!
What a perfect post. Beautiful pictures. Loved the description of your Grandpa–makes me miss mine! And a delicious looking soup recipe too! I make a lot of soups with kale because it grows all winter in my garden, and I’m going to try this one asap.
what a lovely post! i spent a few years living in minnesota and your beautiful photos brought back a lot of great memories.
It’s too bad you had all those delays, but my stars, you got some truly lovely photos out of it!
I just got the wonderful Real Simple cookbook with this soup in it and made a variation on it myself! I lived on it for most of last week – very comforting with toast!
The soup looks delicious–how many servings does the recipe make?
Whitney: Thank you! It was completely worth it.
Ali: Why thank you!
Chiara: Thanks! I love lentils, too. There’s a lot of good stuff in this soup.
The Rowdy Chowgirl: Kale in your backyard? Be still my heart.
sara: Thanks!
Monika: I’ll have to check that out. The magazine usually has lovely food photos and some interesting recipes.
Natalie: Good question! I just updated the recipe above to answer your question (it serves 6).
I saw this recipe in Real Simple, and I have been thinking about making it. Seeing your pictures makes me want to give it a try right away! Sorry to hear about your unfortunate travel delays!
mmm, nothing like Outback Steakhouse to ring in Valentine’s Day
I recently flew to Boston and was certain we’d get snowed in at some point but I think we were the only place in the country that made out scott-free.
This looks really nice! I love kale, and look for any and all reasons to use it, especially in the winter. Will definitely give this a whirl.
Those photos are beautiful, and this Minnesota girl knows a thing or two about gorgeous North Shore pictures.
Love the soup too, and the loving way you talk about your Grandfather.
Jen: Yes, do try it!
Megan Gordon: You’re telling me. : ) I hope you do try the soup!
kate: That means a lot coming from you. : ) Thank you.
yummy! just made this tonight…made a few adjustments (had onions on hand instead of leeks, threw in some chickpeas) but really nice cozy cold weather comfort food:)
[...] Winter Lentil Soup [...]
I love the shots of the drinks. The glass with the lime, and the mugs being held up for toasting -> pretty.
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