Lentil Soup
I make lentil soup as a meal fairly frequently, but it's usually missing something that makes it taste really good, you know? That something extra that makes it so you don't need to add an extra pound of salt to make it taste good.
Tonight, however, was a different story. Tonight's lentil soup was tasty. Also, I properly diced an onion for the first time in my life. *pat on back*
Ingredients!
-olive oil, to cover bottom of pan (and then some)
-2 to 3 cloves of crushed garlic
-half a white cooking onion, diced
-chopped carrots, about a double-handful's worth*
-two stalks celery, chopped*
-two tomatoes, chopped into large chunks, most seeds removed
-3 tins of lentils
-water or soup stock
-salt (herbed, if possible) and pepper to taste
-coriander and paprika to taste
* usually I use enough combined carrots and celery so it fully covers the bottom of the pan/pot
Utensils!
-knives, to chop things
-wooden spoon, to stir things
-largish round pot/saucepan, within which to cook things
Recipe!
1. Sautée garlic and onions in the olive oil until almost brown, at about level 8 heat (given 10 is max heat). Stir often.
2. Add chopped carrots and celery. Cook until almost fully cooked (i.e. you can break a carrot piece in half with the wooden spoon).
3. Add tomatoes to the pot. Cook for a couple minutes, until they start looking softish.
4. Pour in the tins of lentils (including liquid) and stir immediately.
5. Add water or stock, in an amount that suits your taste. Less gives you more of a stew. If you use water, crumble two bouillon cubes in as well.
6.Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Allow the whole thing to come to a rolling boil at level 8 heat. Once it starts boiling, turn down the heat and let simmer for at least 10 minutes or so.
8. Add paprika and coriander and allow to simmer a bit more.
Ta dah! Serve on its own, or with toast, or with noodles or rice!
Tonight, however, was a different story. Tonight's lentil soup was tasty. Also, I properly diced an onion for the first time in my life. *pat on back*
Ingredients!
-olive oil, to cover bottom of pan (and then some)
-2 to 3 cloves of crushed garlic
-half a white cooking onion, diced
-chopped carrots, about a double-handful's worth*
-two stalks celery, chopped*
-two tomatoes, chopped into large chunks, most seeds removed
-3 tins of lentils
-water or soup stock
-salt (herbed, if possible) and pepper to taste
-coriander and paprika to taste
* usually I use enough combined carrots and celery so it fully covers the bottom of the pan/pot
Utensils!
-knives, to chop things
-wooden spoon, to stir things
-largish round pot/saucepan, within which to cook things
Recipe!
1. Sautée garlic and onions in the olive oil until almost brown, at about level 8 heat (given 10 is max heat). Stir often.
2. Add chopped carrots and celery. Cook until almost fully cooked (i.e. you can break a carrot piece in half with the wooden spoon).
3. Add tomatoes to the pot. Cook for a couple minutes, until they start looking softish.
4. Pour in the tins of lentils (including liquid) and stir immediately.
5. Add water or stock, in an amount that suits your taste. Less gives you more of a stew. If you use water, crumble two bouillon cubes in as well.
6.Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Allow the whole thing to come to a rolling boil at level 8 heat. Once it starts boiling, turn down the heat and let simmer for at least 10 minutes or so.
8. Add paprika and coriander and allow to simmer a bit more.
Ta dah! Serve on its own, or with toast, or with noodles or rice!
posted by Robyn at
12:19 AM
1 Comments:
My secrets to a good lentil soup:
Ginger root. It's potent, so you don't need a lot. For two bowls of soup, I'll use like a quarter of a root.
Fennel seed. Like ginger root, it's potent. You don't need a lot.
Mushrooms. I usually get a can of those moist Chinese mushrooms, and throw them in. I find they put my soup over the top.
I find all of the above, with onions, garlic, beef broth, and dry green lentils, yields a tasty soup.
I've also tried doing lentils and barley in the same soup. So long as you give the barley an hour head start, it works. Add a few chunks of beef for full flavour. Mmmmm....
I need to come up with a vegetarian variation on my recipe which isn't "missing something". Perhaps I'll try your tomato idea.
By
Valacosa, at February 21, 2009 1:59 AM
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