For this lentil recipe, I decided to keep it simple so the heady flavor of the beans could really shine. Resist the urge to clutter the recipe with too many herbs or spices, which would make it a totally different kind of soup. Here, you need only a Parmesan rind, that nubby end of cheese that most people throw away.

Endive makes a great winter salad– hearty enough to stand up to the heavy fare of the season, but still light and crisp.