Sunday Soup

Today is definitely a soup kind of day. Apparently a lot of other people thought so, too, because Trader Joe’s was completely out of chicken AND vegetable broth. Boo for having to make two stops instead of one but YAY for delicious soup simmering on my stove.

This is my first time cooking with lentils, and I’ve had a package of masoor matki (whole baby red lentils) for a while now from a trip to Grand Asia Market. I’ve liked the idea of cooking with dried lentils for a long time – the fact that they don’t require presoaking, unlike dried beans – but haven’t ever found a recipe calling for them that I was excited to make. That changed when I saw Orangette’s recent blog post on red lentil soup with lemon.

Fragrant Red Lentil Soup with Lemon
Adapted from In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite by Melissa Clark via Orangette

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 large yellow onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. kosher salt, or to taste
A few grinds of black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 cups masoor matki (baby or regular red lentils), picked through for stones/debris
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
Juice of one lemon, or to taste
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Couple dashes Frank’s original hot sauce (not in original recipe)

In a large pot (dutch oven if you have one), heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Add the onions and garlic and cook until golden, about 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook for 2 minutes longer. Add the broth, 2 cups water, the lentils, and the carrots. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Continue to cook until the lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste, and add more salt if necessary. Using an immersion (I use one of these and highly recommend it) or regular blender, puree about half of the soup. It should still be somewhat chunky, not completely smooth. Reheat if necessary, then stir in the lemon juice and cilantro. (Original recipe suggests serving the soup drizzled with olive oil and dusted lightly with cayenne, if desired). Yields 6-8 servings.

The results: divine! This soup was hearty, simple, and delicious. Boyfriend gave it “two thumbs up” and we both agreed we wouldn’t change a thing about it (aside from adding Frank’s). The flavors were very clean – I love that the author of this recipe didn’t get carried away with adding different spices and/or vegetables. The lemon juice really added something extra here. I will definitely be making this again – it’s a perfect chilly day soup (and very filling)!

Wouldn’t this soup look pretty in one of these beautiful soup mugs from Karin Lorenc? Love these.

Enjoy!

~ by ijbaxter on October 17, 2010.