Leeks Lentil Soup

Good stocks -- flavorful and thick -- are the foundation of my cooking. Not hard to make, they keep well in freezer, saving time later. I should do just a post on stocks, and guess I will, but its so simple -- its hardly worth that. Take 800 g of chicken necks, 200 g gizzards, and 200 g of wings, and pressure cook for 30 mins with 1.25 l of water. Strain and your done. Add a few crushed cloves of garlic, some black pepper and teaspoon of tomato paste if you have it handy, before you pressure cook, to up the flavor.
Or don't use a pressure cooker at all, and start with the bones of the roasted bird to really do it right. Okay, so there is a more complicated way to do every thing -- but the simple way also works. Anyway you do it, the point is get your stock going, and your all set for awhile.

I made stock yesterday, before i went out with friends in evening, and ended up having the rump of Wagyu beef! That was nice, but then in morning, after all that heavy eating and drinking it was time for soup. So I boiled a small cup of Mysore dhal, in four cups of water and then added a chopped leeks root, boiled it down a little more, and added a little less than half a cup chicken stock. Add more, as it boils down, if you have it. After about 30 mins, I pureed the whole thing, added salt, slowly, tasting each time, and then a teaspoon of sugar, and voila, it was ready. Sprinkled chille pieces on top, and dribbled cream in circles, as it lay in the bowl.

Wow it was good. Eat, sleep and repeat, with another Vegetable; this is easy and looks really cool.