Cookbook:Muskrat Soup

Ingredients

 * ½ cup finely-chopped onion
 * 3 tbsp olive oil or any type of cooking oil
 * 3 cloves of garlic, minced
 * ½ lb muskrat meat, cut into pieces
 * 2 tbsp tomato paste
 * 1 tsp salt
 * ½ tsp black pepper
 * ½ cup red wine
 * 5–8 leaves of collard greens, cut into pieces
 * 1 cup brown lentils
 * 3 medium potatoes, diced
 * Red and yellow bell peppers, diced
 * 1 jalapeño for heat (optional), diced
 * 3 cups vegetable stock
 * 2 cups water (1 cup for constantly deglazing the pan)
 * ½ tsp rosemary

Procedure

 * 1) Add the onion in to a large pot, and sauté until golden-brown. Then, add the olive oil in and stir constantly.
 * 2) After a couple of minutes, add the garlic. You can add a little bit of water to prevent the garlic from burning.
 * 3) Add the muskrat meat and stir until golden brown. Stir in the tomato paste.
 * 4) After 5 minutes later, add the salt and pepper and taste the mixture.
 * 5) Add the brown lentils and cook for 5–7 minutes.
 * 6) Add the collard greens and cook for 3–4 minutes.
 * 7) Deglaze the pot with the red wine and cook until reduced by half.
 * 8) Add the diced potatoes, and stir for 5 more minutes.
 * 9) Add the vegetable stock and the water that is left. Bring to a boil.
 * 10) Add the peppers with the jalapeño. Let the soup simmer for at least 10 minutes and add the rosemary.
 * 11) Turn off the heat. You can serve it right away or wait 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy the soup!

Notes, tips, and variations

 * Soak the muskrat meat in salt water overnight to reduce the gamey taste.
 * You can boil the lentils separately to save time and just add them right at the end before you add the peppers.