03.07.07

Red Lentil Soup

Posted in Cuisine at 8:13 pm by rachel

I love cooking with red lentils.  They are teeny tiny, so you can buy them dry, store them forever, and they will cook fast (you don’t have to pre-soak and plan 4 hours ahead like some dried legumes).  They turn a yellowish color once cooked, so do not be alarmed when they seem to disappear.

This recipe is a variation on a soup that my friend Robert made when we lived in Aix-en-Provence way back when.  I remember looking at his recipe card and it was called something like “Spicy Lentil Soup” and had  a hand-written note next to the name that said “’spicy’ not hot.”  So rest assured, this will not burn your mouth at all, but it is quite flavorful!

Red Lentil Soup

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 6

What you need:
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 leek, cut into rounds
2 medium carrots, cut into rounds
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup dry red lentils
1 small can corn, drained
salt to taste
1 wine bottle of water (750 cl)

What to do:
Over med-high heat, cook the oil in a soup pot and add the onions and garlic.  Cook about 5 minutes, or until onions are soft.  Add the spices, then the leek, and cook a further 5 minutes.  Add half the water and bring to a boil.  Once the water is boiling, add the carrots.  Cook 5 minutes.  Add the rest of the water and once boiling, add the lentils.  Cover and reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes or until lentils are soft.  Add the corn just before serving.

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