Lentil Soup With Cauliflower And Cheese Food

LENTIL SOUP WITH CAULIFLOWER AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Add lentils and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in cauliflower, increase heat to medium-high, and simmer just until cauliflower is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Remove thyme; season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat broiler with rack 6 inches from heating element. Divide soup among 4 broilerproof ramekins or soup bowls. Top with cheese and broil until golden and bubbling, 3 to 4 minutes. Garnish with thyme and serve immediately.

LENTIL CAULIFLOWER SOUP

Steps:

• Heat olive oil over medium heat.
• Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened.
• Add garlic, cumin and tumeric and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add broth and lentils, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 40 minutes or until lentils are cooked.
• Using a potato masher, break up about half the soup. Add cauliflower and cook for 8 minutes or until tender.
• Stir in fresh parsley and pepper.
• Garnish with fresh chives.

LENTIL SOUP WITH CAULIFLOWER AND BACON

Steps:

• In a large pot, cook the bacon strips until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
• Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat or, if there's less than 2 tablespoons, add enough olive oil to make up the amount.
• Reduce the heat to moderately low. Add the onion to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the lentils, salt, pepper, rosemary, bay leaf, and water to the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
• Add the cauliflower florets and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower and lentils are tender, about 15 minutes longer. Remove the bay leaf.
• Stir the parsley into the soup. Serve the soup topped with the bacon.
• Variation: Substitute broccoli florets for the cauliflower. Add them after the lentils have cooked for about twenty-five minutes and then simmer until the broccoli is tender, five to ten minutes longer.

CURRIED CAULIFLOWER & LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Remove the outer leaves from the cauliflower, cut off the stalk and roughly chop, then cut the head into small florets. Toss a quarter of the florets in 1 tbsp oil and 1 tsp of the fennel seeds, season well, then tip into a roasting tin and set aside.
• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Heat ½ tbsp oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and add the remaining fennel seeds, toast for 2 mins, then add the lentils and the remaining cauliflower. Stir in the curry paste, then add 1 litre water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 25 mins until the cauliflower is tender and the lentils are cooked through.
• Meanwhile, put the roasting tin of cauliflower in the oven and cook for 20 mins until crisp and slightly charred. Tip the soup mixture into a food processor and blitz until smooth, tip back into the pan to warm through, adding the lemon juice and a little water if it's too thick. Tip into bowls and top with the crispy cauliflower and fennel seeds to serve.