Stoic Lentil Soup

Lentil soup with leeks, coriander seeds, and herbs

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City/Region: Greece | Rome

Time Period: 3rd Century B.C.E. | 1st Century

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The ancient stoics were all about being happy with what you’ve got. If one could learn to take pleasure in eating simple foods like lentil soup and barley bread (usually eaten by the poorest members of society), then they would have more happiness than if they constantly craved luxurious food. Granted, most of these philosophers were wealthy, so they didn’t actually have to live like the very poor.

The ancient Greek stoic philosopher Zeno of Citium was known for carrying around lentil soup in a clay pot, and that was probably just lentils boiled in water. This recipe, adapted from ancient Rome’s Apicius from a few centuries later, is a little fancier, but still rather simple and uses ingredients that would have been available to Zeno. Despite its simplicity, it’s surprisingly delicious with a hint of sweetness, oniony leek, and the cooling effect of the mint.

“Boil the lentils; when skimmed, put in leeks and green cilantro. Pound coriander-seed, pennyroyal, silphium, mint, and rue, moisten with vinegar, add honey, blend with garum, vinegar, and defrutum. Pour over the lentils, add oil, serve.”

— Apicius, de re coquinaria, 1st Century

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Ingredients:

• 6 cups (1.5 L) vegetable broth
• 1 lb (450 g) lentils
• 1 large leek, chopped
• Small handful torn cilantro
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander seed
• 2 teaspoons chopped mint
• 2 teaspoons pennyroyal*, I used dried Do not eat pennyroyal if pregnant
• 2 teaspoons chopped rue* Do not eat rue if pregnant
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon defrutum*
• 12 coriander seeds
• Olive oil, for drizzling

*See notes below.

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, bring the vegetable broth to a simmer over medium high heat.
2. Rinse the lentils well in some cool water and drain them, then put them in the simmering broth. Cook for however long the package says to cook them (this varies according to the variety of lentils), usually 20 minutes up to 1 hour. Throughout this whole process, you can add more broth or water if you want more liquid.
3. When they’re cooked, add the leek, cilantro, and salt, and cook for another 20 minutes.
4. While it cooks, combine the ground coriander, mint, pennyroyal, and rue into a mortar and grind them together a bit. Stir in the red wine vinegar, honey, and defrutum. Add this mixture to the lentils and turn the heat down to low and simmer for 10 to 20 minutes.
5. Dish the lentils into a clay bowl for extra authenticity, sprinkle the 12 coriander seeds over it, drizzle with olive oil, and serve it forth.

Notes

• Pennyroyal is in the mint family, and while it has been used as an herb, it is also an abortifacient. Do not eat pennyroyal if you are pregnant!
• Rue is a bitter herb that was used in a lot of historical recipes. It's mildly toxic and should only be consumed in very small amounts, if at all. Do not eat rue if you are pregnant!
• Defrutum, or more commonly sapa/saba today, is a 1/3 reduction of grape must and is sweet and delicious. It can be expensive, so you can reduce some grape juice instead. It won't be as complex as saba, but it will work just fine.
• Link to pennyroyal: https://amzn.to/40oJjDF
• Link to rue: https://amzn.to/3yErUqH
• Link to defrutum: https://amzn.to/3JGkbyK

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