Tag Archives: Lentil Soup

French Lentil Soup

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IMG_2021

I realized that I had not done a proper entree for a while.
I am also coming to realize that the bit of philosophy at the end of my recipes might be the best I produce all week.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb green french lentils (about 2 cups), washed and picked over
  • 2 qts vegetable stock (add more liquid if you like a thinner soup)
  • 1 or 2 bay leaves
  • 2 Tbs olive oil (olive, canola or peanut)
  • 1 onion, finely minced
  • 2 carrots, finely minced
  • 2 stalks celery, finely minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 medium peeled raw sweet potato, chopped or shaved into large bits (it cooks really well if you shave it with a vegetable peeler, but this is time consuming.
  • 1 Tbsp. either fines herbs or Herbes de Provence.
  • Salt to taste

Step1, Low Boil: Put the lentils, stock and bay leaves in a large pot. First, bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer and cover the pot. Let this simmer for an hour or more, like bitter resentment.

Step 2, Low Sauté: We are making a Mirepoix here mirepoix(I like mirepoix; mirepoix are cool). Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot (or pan if you don’t own two pots) over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Stir the mixture until it begins to cook, then turn it to low and let it slowly cook for an hour or so. About 20 minutes before the lentils are ready (or you are), add the sweet potato; about 10 minutes before they are ready, add the garlic.

Step 3, mix it up: Add the lentils to the mirepoix (unless you used a pan, then add the mirepoix to the lentils). This is a good time to fish out the bay leaves.

Step 4, fiddle a little: Add the herbs and more salt to taste, if desired, and cook 15-30 minutes more. Add more things or other things until it seems right.

Step 5, share it with other people around your table: Add some freshly baked bread, maybe some salads, some good cheese, and share it. As always, there may be leftovers for monks, students, et.al.

IMG_2025Is this the basis of community? No, not really. It’s not a bad place to start, but this is hospitality. Friendship is when others bring cheese (or wine). Community would involve helping with the fine mincing, or washing & drying the dishes together.

Peace Lentil Soup

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Peace_Lentil_SoupRed Lentil Soup
My daughter Grace acquired this recipe at a potluck after a march to support a Palestinian homeland, so we call it “Peace Lentil Soup;” marching is necessary, because there is so much to be outraged about, but I believe that the basis of peace is eating together. This soup is promising because it is cheap, delicious, and doesn’t involve killing anything. 

Ingredients:

 2 Tbs oil (olive, canola or peanut)
1 onion, chopped (or 1 cup frozen, chopped)
4 garlic cloves, minced
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp ground cumin (more to taste)
1/2 tsp ground coriander (more to taste)
2 tsp curry powder
1 (28-oz) can chopped tomatoes in juice
1 lb red lentils (about 2 cups), washed and picked over
2 qts chicken or vegetable stock (add more liquid if you like a thinner soup)
1/4 tsp ground pepper (more to taste)
Cayenne (optional, to taste)

Step1, Sauté: Heat oil in a large, heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes.
Add garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, cumin, coriander, curry powder.
Stir together for about a minute until the garlic is fragrant.
Step 2, Stew: Stir in tomatoes with their juice.
Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly.
Stir in lentils and liquid.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.
Step 3, fiddle a little: Add more salt to taste, if desired, and cook 15-30 minutes more until lentils have fallen apart and thickened the soup.
Using the back of your spoon, mash the lentils against the side of the pot to thicken the soup further.
Add the pepper and cayenne to taste.

Step 4, share it with other people around your table.
Hey, Hipsters: you gotta eat. Have some of your friends over and have soup. One of the most sincere (that means not ironic) things you can do is eat with people in your own house. It is really good with water or iced tea, but especially gPeace Lentils Left Overood with a sweet white wine, a crisp pub cider, or a complex local IPA. The last time I made this, I served it with salads and corn cakes with some sharp, hard cheeses, and the next 3 hours of  conversation were so lively, so lovely that I forgot that I had made dessert.
As always, there may be leftovers for monks, students, et.al.