One of my favorite soups is lentil soup but I rarely make it. I have a delicious recipe but it's rather time-consuming. A couple of months ago there was a simple version in The Detroit Free Press (adapted from Secrets of Healthy Middle Eastern Cuisine). It required a cook time of about 40 minutes on the stove. I made it for dinner the other night but simplified it even more by cooking it in my Crock-Pot.
Don't let the name fool you. It's vegan! Despite the lack of cream, this soup definitely earns it's name. The end result is quite thick and creamy - almost dip-like - particularly when reheated. If you prefer yours more soupy, stir in some water to thin it out before serving.
Lentil Cream Soup
(printable recipe)
Ingredients:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (I used a Vidalia)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup red lentils
1/2 cup rice (I used brown basmati)
1 tbsp. cumin
6 cups water
1 tbsp. Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base*
Black pepper, to taste
Lemon wedges
Directions:
In the evening: Heat olive oil in a medium pan. Saute the onion until tender and brown, about 5-10 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container. Add cilantro. Cover and refrigerate.
In the morning: Transfer onions and cilantro to slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients, except for lemons. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Puree using an immersion blender or carefully in batches in a regular blender.
Serve with lemon wedges and fresh pita bread.
Makes 4 servings.
*NOTE: This was not in the original recipe. I added it for extra flavor. Alternately, you could substitute broth for some of the water.
Are you a fan of lentil soup? How does this compare to your favorite recipe?
When we first started to get beets in our share this summer, Katie and I were really excited. Beets are awesome! Golden beets are even more awesome! But when we got beets week after week after week, the novelty sort of wore off. We couldn't keep up with them. Seriously, you can only eat so many beets.
Neither of us wanted the beets. When I went back to work, Katie started getting the share and she would sneak the beets into the bottom of the bag when she'd drop off my half. Gee, thanks, Katie. Soon my vegetable drawer had a month's worth of beets in it.
Last week I picked up our share and found myself with 6 more beets. I was going to make Katie take them but then I had an idea to make a golden beet soup. She didn't mind me keeping all of them so I combined them with a few beets I already had and some carrots I bought from Farmer Glen.
This is probably the first soup I've made completely on my own without following a recipe. It turned out so well I'd make it again. It's smooth and creamy, sweet and delicious. The addition of rosemary at the end is essential - don't leave it out! We enjoyed it with a simple salad and the easiest, cheapest, best biscuits ever.
I was happy to use up so many beets all at once. Not that my vegetable drawer is beet-free yet...but there's definitely a lot more room in there now!
Golden Beet and Carrot Bisque
(printable recipe)
Ingredients:
9 golden beets, peeled and cut into chunks
5 sweet carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1-inch piece of ginger, grated
4 cups vegetable broth
black pepper, to taste
Fresh chopped rosemary, or dried, as garnish
Directions:
1. Prepare all the veggies and put them into 4-quart slow-cooker. Add broth and pepper. Stir to combine.
2. Set slow-cooker to low and cook for 8 hours.
3. Puree soup using an immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh or dried rosemary.
Makes 4 servings.
What is your favorite way to prepare golden beets?
