Rachel Roddy’s recipe for lentil and spinach soup

Once upon a time in Messina, there lived a boy named Nick who loved to swim. Or so begins the tale of Cola Pesce, told by many, including Italo Calvino in his book of Italian folktales. So great was his love that Nick spent his days and nights in the sea while his mother stood on the shore, pleading: “Oh, Nick, come out of the water, you are not a fish.” He didn’t listen, though, and every day he swam farther out while his desperate mum yelled across the water until it gave her a kink in her intestines. Then, one day, having screamed herself hoarse, she blurted out – as is so often the case in such circumstances – “Nick, may you turn into a fish.” And he did – or, rather, he turned into a half-fish, half-man, with webbed feet like a duck and a throat like a frog. And that was that; Nick never set foot on land again, which upset his mum so much that she died.

As is also the case in such circumstances, news of Nick the fish reached the king, who sent a sailor to find him. “Oi,” shouted the sailor when he spotted Nick gliding on a wave, “the king of Messina wants to see you.” Nick, not having any choice in the matter, swam over to the palace. The king was delighted and ordered Nick to swim around the entire coast of Sicily to see where the sea was deepest and what was there. Nick followed orders, and he soon recounted that he’d seen mountains, caves, valleys and fish on the floor of the sea; he had been frightened only once, when he passed the lighthouse and was unable to find the bottom. Nick also discovered that Messina rested on three columns: one whole, one splintered, one broken.

The king was pleased with all this information, but he was also tormented by the idea that the sea was bottomless near the lighthouse, and demanded that Nick dive there again. It was two days before Nick returned, having failed to find the bottom due to clouds of smoke. This made the king even more curious, and he demanded that Nick dive from the top of the lighthouse. This time, it was three days before Nick resurfaced, white as a ghost having seen a fish with a mouth the size of a ship, and explaining how he’d hidden behind one of Messina’s columns to avoid being swallowed. The king listened open-mouthed, then told Nick to dive once more. But this time Nick refused, saying he was too frightened.

So the king threw his crown in the sea, the only one of its kind in the universe, which gave Nick no choice. “If you order it, Your Majesty, I shall go down, but my heart tells me I’ll never come up again,” Nick said. “Give me a handful of lentils. If I escape, you will see me emerge, but if the lentils come to the surface, that’s a sign I will never return.” The king gave him some lentils – let’s say 300g – which is also the amount required for this week’s recipe, which is familiar and beautifully simple, hence fewer instructions and more cautionary tale.

With his fists full of lentils, Nick plunged into the sea, and after an interminable wait the lentils floated up. And so to this day one awaits the return of Nick the fish. Happy new year, and soup!

Lentil and spinach soup

Serves 4

5 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for serving
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 stick of celery, trimmed and diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 small whole fresh or dried red chilli
A couple of rosemary sprigs
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
300g small brown lentils
300g spinach leaves
Salt and black pepper
Grated parmesan, for serving

Working in a heavy-based frying or saute pan, warm the olive oil, then saute the diced onion, celery and carrot, red chilli and rosemary over a medium-low heat, until the vegetables are soft and translucent.

Add the potato and lentils, and stir for a minute or two, or until each lentil glistens with oil. Add 1.6 litres of cold water, bring to a boil then turn down the heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Add the spinach, simmer for five minutes more, then season generously with salt and pepper. Divide between bowls, and pass around olive oil, red chilli and grated cheese for those who want them.