A First Attempt at a Lentil Soup

I do love lentils - in a rice pilaf, a good lentil loaf, in some chili.  But lentil soups turn me off.  In general, I have to be in a particular fall or winter mood to really crave soup as a meal, and some lentil soups (those thick mushy ones with brown lentils) remind me too much of baby food.  Not appetizing.  But I know people who love lentil soup.  Go crazy for it.  I don't really get it.  So I decided to try out a version that was more appealing to me.  This was a first go at lentil soup, and it definitely needs some work.  All the basic elements are there, but I wanted the flavor to be a bit richer and more savory. (Although, after eating the leftovers for lunch today, I gotta say, the soup improved overnight.)  Also, it's not really a "lentil soup" but rather a hearty vegetable soup that happens to have lentils in it.  And as summer is turning to fall here in Pittsburgh (I refuse to wear jacket for a few more weeks!), a nice hot soup on a chilly weekday night is pretty satisfying.  Especially with a blanket and a season premiere on Hulu. Enjoy!

Vegetable - Lentil Soup

1 head of cauliflower, chopped into bite sized pieces
1/2 large onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, chopped
4 yellow potatoes, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups stock (veggie or chicken)
1 1/2 cups red lentils
Dried thyme or herbes de provence
1 10 oz. package baby spinach
2 green onions, chopped

A loaf of country bread or some hearty rolls

1) Preheat oven to 375 and douse the cauliflower with olive oil and some salt.  When oven's ready, roast cauliflower till soft and browned, turning occasionally, about 30-45 minutes.
2) In a large stock pan, cook up the onion, garlic, and carrots in some olive oil, until the onions are soft and your kitchen smells delicious.
3) Add the potatoes and white wine and cook until the wine is slightly reduced, about 3-5 minutes. (Basically, you're just cooking out the alcohol flavor.)
4) Add the stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for about 10 minutes.
5) Add the red lentils and taste the stock for flavor.  I used a homemade chicken stock and some salt-free veggie bullion, so I ended up adding a little more salt and some herbes de provence to enrich the flavor.  If you have a good hearty stock on hand, you might not need this extra boost.
6) Cook the soup until the lentils are soft and light orange in color (15-20 minutes). By this time, your cauliflower should be about done. Add the roasted cauliflower, spinach and green onions to the soup, and stir until the spinach is well wilted. Simmer for about 5 more minutes. Taste on last time for salt and acidity - add a little lemon juice or white wine and cook for a few minutes if it needs more acid.
7) Serve hot with some crusty bread and cuddle up with a book or a movie!