Lentil Soup

I know what you're thinking.  Another soup recipe?  Seriously?!   In my defense, I didn't mean to... Honestly.   This bag of lentils was meant for a "higher purpose" other than another batch of soup.  I had seen a recipe in one of the numerous food magazines that arrives at this address using lentils.  It looked so good.  It was all gloss and glamour, the kind of photo that belongs tucked inside of a black plastic wrapper.  You know the kind of photo I'm talking about.  It made lentils look sexy and that my friends is no easy task.

Well, that was my intention.  And then a cold front came through.  Goodbye sexy lentils and hello lentil soup.  So you see, it really isn't my fault at all that I'm posting yet another soup recipe.  Blame Mother Nature, she can take it.

The best part of this endeavor: the soup was so good, it was inhaled before I had a chance to take a decent shot for this post.  Slight oversight, my apologies. 
The actual best part of this is that you probably have a good portion of the ingredients already and thus a trip to the store may not even be necessary (hooray!!!). 
I, on the other hand, am still in pursuit of sexy lentils so off to the store I go.  Call me if you need anything.



Lentil Soup

1 1/2 cups lentils, rinsed (do not soak)
2 stalks celery, small dice
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut in small dice
1 medium-large yellow onion, small dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp canola oil
1 1/2 can diced tomato, with juice
5 oz baby spinach or baby kale
2 quarts vegetable (or chicken) stock
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

In a medium-large stock pot, heat oil until barely shimmering.  Add onion, celery and carrots.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook over medium heat until starting to soften, 5 - 10 minutes.  Add garlic and cook another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. 

Add tomatoes and their juice, cook 2 - 3 minutes then add stock, bay leaves, thyme and lentils.  Season again with salt and pepper.  Taste and adjust if necessary, adding more salt and/or pepper if needed.   Stir to combine, cover and simmer until lentils are beginning to soften, about 15 minutes.

Add baby spinach (or kale) and stir in to wilt.  Simmer an additional 10 - 15 minutes until vegetables and lentils are soft.

picture does NOT do soup justice...

 

 



(Lemon) Thyme on my Hands...

Golden Lemon Thyme

Well, the rain finally ceased only to bring unseasonably hot weather for a few days.  Everyone looked like they were wilting, including the little pots of herbs I keep on the windowsill.  Herbs are one of my favorite things to add to nearly anything. 

In cooking their use is obvious, but most people don't utilize them in other ways where they can really bump up the flavor.  Tossing a handful of herbs in with salad greens,  fresh chopped herbs sprinkled over grilled or roasted vegetables, vinaigrettes,  drinks, even ice cream... adding them to both sweet and savory dishes can really make a difference in the flavor of the final dish.

With the sudden heat, I immediately wanted lemonade...  not being able to resist my ever-present need to put herbs into whatever I can, I started snipping.  The fact that I am almost never without lemons was a definite plus.

In my dream world,  there are little mason jars filled with delectable drinks lining the shelves of the refrigerator in my outdoor kitchen... each guest able to saunter over and choose which of the many options tickle their fancy. 

In reality, I have a kitchen that is so small I have seriously considered applying for "Worst Kitchens in America".   My tiny Brooklyn apartment won't be gracing the pages of Architectural Digest anytime soon, but I can still have my mason jars of lemonade lining a shelf in my fridge...  

Lemon Thyme Mint Lemonade

• 3/4 cup sugar +a few tablespoons
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice (don't even think about using bottled)
• 3 cups water
• 8 sprigs lemon thyme
• handful of mint leaves
• lemon slices
• thyme sprigs & mint leaves for garnish

Combine 3/4 cup sugar, 8 sprigs of lemon thyme and 1 cup of water in a small sauce pot and bring to a simmer.  Stir occasionally until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat & let cool completely. Strain & set aside.

A word on the lemons...  the lemons I had were the size of my fist.   Literally.  Three gave me a full cup of juice.  If you were to see these lemons at the gym, one would assume they were "juice-heads" (pun fully intended)...  that being said,  you'll need about 5 lemons of normal stature.

In a large pitcher, muddle the mint leaves with a few tablespoons of sugar, add the lemon juice, lemon thyme simple syrup (from above), water and a few slices of lemon.

Garnish with fresh mint leaves & a few sprigs of lemon thyme.