Holy crap

"Holy crap." Brad isn't as comfortable around me as Dylan is with using the stronger expletives that are needed when the occasion demands it, so that was Brad's understated text that I received at 11:50 p.m. last night, moments after the Washington Nationals had improbably won their first World Series title in franchise history and the first for a Washington baseball team since 1924. How improbable?

• In May, the Nats' record dropped to 19-31. The last team to win the World Series after being 12 games under .500 during the season was the 1914 "Miracle" Boston Braves.
• The Nats became the first team in baseball history to win the World Series by winning all four games as the road team.
• The Nats played five elimination games in the playoffs and trailed in all five. The Nats' chances of winning in each of those games, at their lowest, were: 13% in the wild-card game against Milwaukee; 40% in game 4 of the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers; 11% in game 5 of the NLDS; 32% in game 6 of the World Series against the Houston Astros; and 14% in game 7 of the World Series. Combined, that means the Nats had about a 0.03% chance of pulling out all five of those elimination games.
• In his first seven at-bats in the seventh inning or later in those five elimination games, Anthony Rendon had a: walk, double, home run, double, home run, double, home run.
• The Nats won four of those elimination games against the two teams with the best records in baseball in the regular season (107 wins for the Astros, 106 for the Dodgers).

All in all, it seems at least as improbable as the Cavaliers doing what they did to win the college basketball National Championship after trailing in each of their final three games in the last 14 seconds or less. It's tougher on the nervous system, but that much more memorable.

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I don't know if this soup qualifies as a "fall classic," but it is easy, hearty, and nourishing, perfect for a cool autumn night before taking in the World Series. This is kinda similar to the Smoky Red Lentil Stew with Greens, but with a different flavor profile and fewer ingredients and is much simpler to bring together.

Simple Red Lentil Soup with Baby Spinach, Lemon, and Pepper

Adapted from At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen (2014) by Amy Chaplin

Time: ~45 minutes

I used my favorite pan—the 4-quart saucier Ed gave me—to make this soup, which barely fit in the pan, so you need something at least that large.

 

2 tablespoons (27 grams) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

1 medium white or yellow onion (~140 grams), finely chopped

3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed  

340 grams (2 cups) red split lentils, picked over and rinsed
6 cups (1,415 grams) water

a spoonful of Better Than Bouillon Seasoned Vegetable Base (optional)

1½ teaspoons sea salt (start with less if you're using the vegetable base)
¼ to ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (to taste), plus more for serving
125 grams (~5 cups) baby spinach
60 grams (¼ cup) freshly squeezed lemon juice

 

    1. Heat the oil in a large pot (at least 4 quarts; see note) over medium heat until shimmering. Stir in the onions, and sauté until soft, translucent, and starting to turn golden around the edges, about 5–6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

    2. Stir in the lentils, water, and vegetable base, if using. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover the pot and reduce the heat as needed to maintain a steady simmer, rather than a violent boil. Simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent the lentils from sticking to the pan, until the lentils are cooked through and starting to turn into a purée, about 15 minutes. Stir in the salt, re-cover the pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils have turned into mush, about 10 minutes. 

    3. Stir in the pepper and spinach, and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in the lemon juice. Taste for seasoning. Serve promptly, with an extra drizzle of oil and a twist of black pepper added to each bowl at the table. Serves 4.