Robust Lentil Soup A La Athens Market Food

MEDITERRANEAN LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• If you have time, soak the lentils overnight in a bowl with lots of water. If not, put the lentils in a large pot and cover them with water. Boil for 2-3 minutes, rinse and drain. Clean the pot, put 5 cups of water (or vegetable stock) over medium heat.
• Add the lentils, the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and bay leaves. Cover the pot and simmer over medium to low heat for 30 minutes. Soaking and sprouting reduce considerably the cooking time. If the lentils are soft enough, proceed immediately to the next step.
• Add the passata or chopped tomato and/or the dissolved tomato paste*. Add the turmeric and cumin and season to taste. Simmer for another 15 minutes until the lentils are soft.
• Adjust the amount of water/vegetable stock whether you like watery soup or thick soup. If you add more liquid, it should be hot. Add the olive oil 2-3 minutes before you remove the pot from the heat.
• Serve each plate with 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar.

SLOW-COOKER MEDITERRANEAN LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Place the chicken stock, carrots, lentils, artichokes, celery, sun-dried tomatoes and tablespoon of their oil, bouillon paste, oregano and onion in a slower cooker. Cook until the lentils are tender, on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Stir in the escarole, lemon zest and juice and let sit 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve with crusty bread alongside.

EASY GREEK RED LENTIL SOUP RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil until shimmering but not smoking. Add onions, carrots and garlic. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring regularly. Add spices and bay leaves. Cook for a few seconds till fragrant, keep stirring so spices don't burn.
• Add crushed tomatoes, broth, lentils. Season with kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until lentils are fully cooked.
• Remove from heat. If you have the time, let soup cool a bit before using an immersion blender to puree. Pulse a few times till you reach the creamy consitency you are looking for.
• Return soup to heat, and stir to warm through. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, and fresh parsley.
• Transfer soup to serving bowls and top with extra virgin olive oil. If you like, top each bowl with a generous sprinkle of feta cheese. Serve with your favorite crusty bread!

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.

LENTIL SOUP (TRULY GOOD AND EASY - EAT YOUR LENTILS!)

Steps:

• Cook onions in oil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened; add garlic, celery and carrots.
• Cook vegetables 10-15 minutes, until softened.
• Add all remaining ingredients and simmer 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until lentils are tender.