Lentil Peppercorn Soup Food

THE BEST LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottom pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrot, onion, celery and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are starting to caramelize and take on a dark brown color, 8 to 10 minutes (this step is important as it will add tons of flavor to your soup!).
• Stir in the tomato paste and garlic and cook, scraping up the brown bits, until the garlic is fragrant and slightly softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add in the lentils, stock, 4 cups water, thyme, bay leaf, oregano, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt and a generous amount of black pepper and stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook until the lentils are softened with just a bit of bite, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Remove the bay leaf. Puree 2 1/2 cups of the soup in a blender until smooth then stir back into the pot. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Ladle into bowls and garnish with more parsley.

ROASTED PEPPER AND LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heating element in your oven and preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Arrange red bell pepper halves, yellow bell pepper halves, and orange bell pepper halves onto prepared baking sheet with cut sides down.
• Roast peppers under the preheated broiler until the skin of the peppers has blackened and blistered, 5 to 8 minutes. Place the blackened peppers into a bowl and tightly seal with plastic wrap. Steam as they cool until the skin has loosened completely, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard skins. Cut peppers into small dice.
• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat; cook and stir onion and carrot in hot oil until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, tarragon, thyme, and paprika; continue to cook and stir until garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Stir roasted peppers, tomatoes, water, and hot sauce into the peppers mixture, place a cover on the pot, and cook until the tomatoes soften, about 5 minutes.
• Pour vegetable broth into the pot; add lentils, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper; bring to a boil, cover the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until lentils are tender, about 45 minutes.
• Pour soup into a blender or food processor no more than half full. Cover and hold lid down; pulse several time to get the soup to be only slightly chunky. Repeat processing until all soup has been blended.

LENTIL "PEPPERCORN" SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan, Sweat the onion, carrots, celery and garlic, covered, over low heat until tender, about 15 minutes.
• Add the broth, heat to boiling. Stir in the lentils; heat, stirring occasionally, until boiling.
• Stir in the tomato sauce and parsley.
• Cook, covered, over low heat until the lentils are tender, 45-60 minutes.
• Jus before serving, stir in the cooked pasta. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with coarsely shredded Parmesan cheese.

SPICY LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Combine the lentils and 7 cups warm water in a pot, cover and bring to a boil. Add the chile pepper, tomato, ginger, garlic, turmeric and 2 teaspoons salt. Partially cover and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until thickened, 18 to 20 minutes. Stir in the cilantro. Thin the soup with water, if desired, and season with salt.
• Mix the yogurt with 2 teaspoons water and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the yogurt and more cilantro. Serve with naan.

RED LENTIL, CARROT AND ROASTED RED PEPPER SOUP

Steps:

• Put the first 8 ingredients into a stock pot, or large saucepan, and bring to a boil.
• Turn down the heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables and lentils are tender.
• Use an immersion blender, and puree the soup until no lumps remain, or puree in batches in a food processor or blender. (careful, it's hot!).
• Add the remaining ingredients, stir to blend, or use the immersion blender again, to get a nice smooth soup.
• Taste to adjust any seasoning.
• Bring it back to a simmer.
• Serve with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.

LENTIL AND SWEET RED PEPPER SOUP WITH CUMIN AND BLACK PEPPER

Steps:

• Simmer lentils with parsley, bay leaf, broth, and water in a 4-quart saucepan, uncovered, until tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
• While lentils are cooking, coarsely grind peppercorns with cumin using a mortar and pestle or an electric coffee/spice grinder. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook bell pepper, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add spices and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add carrot, celery, onion, garlic, and remaining 3 tablespoons oil and cook, stirring, until carrot is tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in lentil mixture and discard bay leaf.
• Purée 1 cup soup in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Stir purée into remaining soup and reheat over moderate heat, stirring. Season soup with salt and pepper. If soup seems too thick, thin with water to desired consistency.