French Lentil Soup Jacques Pepin Food

FRENCH LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, carrots, and garlic; sauté until vegetables begin to brown, about 15 minutes. Add 4 cups broth, lentils, and tomatoes with juice and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until lentils are tender, about 35 minutes.
• Transfer 2 cups soup (mostly solids) to blender and puree until smooth. Return puree to soup in pan; thin soup with more broth by 1/4 cupfuls, if too thick. Season with salt, pepper, and a splash of vinegar, if desired. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with celery leaves.

JACQUES PEPIN'S CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• Wash the gizzards and hearts under cool running water, place them in a saucepan with 6 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 1 to 2 minutes, then skim off and discard any fat and impurities that rise. Cover, reduce the heat to low and boil gently for 45 minutes.
• With a slotted spoon, remove the gizzards and hearts from the cooking liquid and place them on a chopping board. When cool enough to handle, cut them into 1/4-inch pieces or chop them coarsely in a food processor. Return them to the cooking liquid with the celery, carrots and salt. Bring back to a boil over high heat, cover, reduce the the heat to low and boil gently for another 45 minutes.
• Add the cornmeal, scallions and dill and cook for 15 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
• Spoon into bowls. Garnish, if desired, with a tablespoon of sour cream and a sprinkling of cilantro.

JACQUES PEPIN'S ONION SOUP GRATINEE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan and saute the onions over medium high heat for about eight minutes or until they are lightly browned.
• Add stock, salt and pepper (if your stock is salted, do not add additional salt) and boil gently for about 15 minutes.
• In the meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 400°F.
• Toast the baguette slices in the oven.
• Place one or two slices of baguette in the bottom of each of four ovenproof crocks.
• Add 1/4 cup of grated cheese to each crock and place the crocks on a cookie sheet.
• Ladle the onion and stock mixture into the crocks.
• Top with the remaining grated cheese, pressing some of the cheese against the lip of each crock.
• Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until cheese is beautifully browned.
• In the last few moments, place the remaining baguette slices in the oven to warm.
• Serve the soup immediately with the toasted slices of baguette.