Lentil Soup With Lemon Pancetta And Mint Recipes

TURKISH LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• In a large pot, add butter and olive oil and saute chopped onion and red bell pepper until pepper is tender, about 5-8 minutes. Then add chopped garlic and saute until caramelized, about 1-2 minutes.
• Next, add dried mint, paprika and Turkish red pepper (or you can substitute regular red pepper and stir spices together in the oil
• Stir in the tomato paste, chopped tomato and lemon zest. Stir everything together and season with salt and pepper. Allow the tomatoes to cook for 1-2 minutes to soften.
• Next, add dried red lentils, white rice and red quinoa (or you have another type of quinoa, that's fine too). Stir all the grains together so the flavors are tossed with the rice and quinoa.
• Add 8 cups of vegetable broth and bring soup to a boil Cook the soup for about 30 minutes until rice, lentils and quinoa are tender. Taste for doneness and seasoning.
• Once soup is cooked, you can use an immersion blender to puree some of the soup for a better texture. Garnish with a squeeze of lemon, olive oil, fresh herbs.

LENTIL SOUP WITH LEMON

Steps:

• Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and cook until the onion has turned golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, kosher salt, black pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon of chili powder. Cook and stir 2 minutes more until the spices are fragrant.
• Stir in the chicken broth, lentils, and carrot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils are soft, about 30 minutes.
• Pour half of the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot. Do not puree all of the soup, leave it a little chunky.
• Stir in the lemon juice and cilantro, then season to taste with salt. Drizzle with olive oil and a sprinkle of chili powder to serve.

TURKISH RED LENTIL SOUP WITH MINT

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Cook and stir the onion in the hot oil until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Stir the garlic into the onion and cook another 2 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes to the onion mixture; continue to cook and stir another 10 minutes.
• Pour in the chicken stock, red lentils, bulgur, rice, tomato paste, paprika, cayenne pepper, and mint to the tomato mixture; season with salt and black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook at a simmer until the the lentils and rice are cooked through, about 30 minutes.
• Pour the soup into a blender to no more than half full. Firmly hold the lid in place and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth; pour into your serving dish. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup in cooking pot.

WARM LENTIL SOUP WITH PANCETTA

Steps:

• Sauté pancetta in heavy large pot over medium-high heat until crisp and brown. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain (do not clean pot). Spoon 1 tablespoon drippings into medium skillet and reserve.
• Add celery, onion, carrot, bacon, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme to remaining drippings in pot and sauté until vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. Add lentils and stir 1 minute. Add 10 cups broth; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until lentils are soft, about 1 hour. Discard bay leaves and garlic. Using slotted spoon, transfer 2 cups lentils to small bowl; cover and reserve. Working in batches, puree remaining soup until almost smooth. Return to pot. Add cream and vinegar. Thin with more broth to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
• Reheat pancetta drippings in reserved skillet over medium-high heat. Add green onions; sauté until wilted, about 1 minute.
• Divide soup among bowls. Spoon lentils in center of each bowl, dividing equally. Garnish with pancetta and green onions and serve.
• *Pancetta, Italian bacon cured in salt, is available at Italian markets, some specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.

RED LENTIL SOUP WITH LEMON

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over high heat until hot and shimmering. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, black pepper and chili powder or cayenne, and sauté for 2 minutes longer.
• Add broth, 2 cups water, lentils and carrot. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.
• Using an immersion or regular blender or a food processor, purée half the soup then add it back to pot. Soup should be somewhat chunky.
• Reheat soup if necessary, then stir in lemon juice and cilantro. Serve soup drizzled with good olive oil and dusted lightly with chili powder if desired.

LENTIL AND PANCETTA SOUP

Steps:

• Add wheat berries to a large saucepan; cover with water--2 inches above berries.
• Bring to a boil; remove pan from heat.
• Cover and let stand 1 hour.
• Drain well; return wheat berries to pan.
• Cover again with water--2 inches above berries.
• Bring to a boil; lower heat and cook, partially covered, over medium-low heat for 45 minutes or until tender; drain and set aside.
• In a large pan, add 7 cups water and lentils; bring to a boil; partially cover pan, lower heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
• Add in pancetta, simmer 10 minutes or until lentils are tender.
• Drain lentil mixture over a bowl and reserve cooking liquid.
• Heat oil in a big Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
• Add in onion, carrot, and celery; stir/saute for 8 minutes.
• Add in Swiss chard; stir/saute for 5 minutes.
• Add in reserved cooking liquid, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil.
• Stir in wheat berries and lentil mixture; cook 1 minute or until well heated.

LENTIL SOUP WITH LEMON, PANCETTA, AND MINT

Steps:

• Peel the onions and chop them finely, cook them over medium to low heat with a little olive oil, the sliced garlic, and the diced bacon. It should all be golden and fragrant. Chop the parsley and stir it in.
• Wash the lentils thoroughly, then stir them into the onions and bacon. Pour over the stock or water and bring to a boil, skimming off any froth that comes to the surface. You can add a bay leaf or two if you like. Decrease the heat so that the lentils simmer merrily, then almost cover the pot with a lid and leave until they are tender but far from collapse-about thirty minutes, depending on your lentils.
• Wash the spinach thoroughly and tear it up a bit. While it is still wet and dripping, put it into a shallow pan over high heat and shut the lid tightly-you need to cook it in its own steam. After a minute or two it will be limp and bright emerald green. Lift it out, squeeze it dry, then divide it among four warm bowls.
• Season the soup with salt, black pepper, lemon juice, and the torn mint leaves, tasting as you go. Ladle the hot soup on top of the spinach and serve with more lemon and mint for those who want it.