Hearty Autumn Lentil Soup with Ham

Whats better than puttering in the kitchen on a crisp fall night after spending the day outside?  There's just something about the slow process of cooking a fall meal that makes the whole house feel cozy and warm and lovely.  The warmth, the smell, the periodic stirring; its the feeling of home and the feeling of family.  Soups and stews are the embodiment of this feeling to me and on a day like today with the crisp fall air, bluebird skies and brilliant leaves crunching underfoot, there is nothing I would rather make than soup!

This soup is kind of a twist on split pea and ham.  Like pea soup, you can't really rush it.  The longer it simmers the better it is, so don't make this recipe on a night when you're looking for a quick meal.  The best part about it is, however, that you can freeze some to pull out when you are really busy and don't have time to cook.  I like to do it on a Sunday when it can sit on the stove while I clean or do homework or read a book :).  This recipe calls for dried beans, but you can easily make it with canned lentils which would definitely cut down on the cooking time.  Also, I usually have a ham bone from a roast in the freezer which I save just for this recipe!  If you don't have one, just get one from the grocery store.  Just make sure there is meat on the bone since it really helps to give the soup a rich flavour.  Play around with it a little and add ingredients you like.  Soups are pretty hard to screw up so get creative and enjoy!

4 cups dried lentils (or really any dried beans.  Origins makes a really great bean mixture that also works well)
8 cups liquid (I like to use chicken broth, but any liquid will do)
1 white onion (diced)
3/4 cups fresh herbs finely chopped (I used rosemary, sage and thyme)
1 large ham bone (roasted)
2 cups packed spinach
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 tsp baking soda

Begin by adding your beans to a large stock pot.  Sprinkle the beans with the baking soda, add 5 cups of liquid and stir. Cover and allow to soak for about 1 hour-preferably in a warm area but not over direct heat.

Once the beans have been soaked, place the pot on the stove and turn heat on to medium high. Add herbs and onion and bring to a boil.  Allow to boil uncovered for approximately 4 minutes then lower heat to medium low and cover.  Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the remaining liquid and the ham bone and allow to simmer for another hour or so (allowing the ham bone to shed any of the meat and to flavour the soup!).  The longer the bone is in the soup, the better.

Finally, add the spinach, salt, and pepper.  I like to use an immersion blender to create a smoother texture, but if you don't have one, it will still be delicious!  Serve hot with you favorite corn bread (or see my favorite cornbread recipe on my blog!).  This soup is awesome the next day for lunch if you've got a thermos or the next night if you want to have it again!  Enjoy :)