Red Lentil Vegetable Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 vegetable bouillon cubes, enough to make 4 c stock
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
2 rutabagas, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, sliced
2 carrots, chopped
3 dried shiitake mushrooms
1 cup red lentil
1 red pepper
1/2 head green cabbage, chopped
salt, to taste

Preparation

Combine vegetable boullion, herbs and spices, and about 6 cups water in a large pot and bring to a boil.
Add rutabagas, onion, garlic, carrots, and dried mushrooms. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add lentils and red pepper. Simmer for 15 more minutes. Add more water, if needed, to cover vegetables.
Add cabbage and simmer 10 more minutes, or until cabbage is done. To prevent a cooked cabbage flavor, do not cover the soup.
Remove dried mushrooms. Discard woody stems and dice caps. Return diced caps to pot.
Taste for seasoning and add additional salt if needed. My boullion is salty enough that usually no additional salt is needed.
Note: Red lentils cook quickly and I prefer them cooked to a \"falling-apart\" doneness. If you like firmer lentils, add in the last 15 minutes of cooking, or cook lentils separately and add to the finished soup.