Smoky Red Lentil Soup With Cheddar Toasts Food

SMOKY CHICKPEA, RED LENTIL & VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, carrots, smoked paprika and cumin; cook, stirring frequently so the garlic doesn't brown, about 2 minutes more.
• Add the broth, diced tomatoes, red lentils, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer; cook for ten minutes. Add the chickpeas, cover the pot and cook 10 minutes more. Fish out the bay leaves, then transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender and purée until smooth (be sure to remove the center knob on the blender and cover with a dishtowel to avoid splatters). Add the puréed soup back to the pot and stir. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary; if you want the soup to be thicker, purée a bit more soup. Add the cooked vegetables and simmer until the soup is hot and the vegetables are warmed through. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. through.

SMOKY LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• In a soup pot, cook the bacon crisp. Remove, crumble & set aside for garnish.
• Add the onions & garlic, cooking until slightly soft and fragrant (3-5 minutes). Add the cumin & chili flakes, cooking for 30 seconds. Stir in the lentils. Add stock & bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer until lentils soften and soup starts to thicken (25-30 minutes).
• Add salt & pepper. You may need to add a bit of extra stock or water, at this point, to thin out the soup if it's needed.
• Serve garnished with fresh parsley & crumbled bacon if desired.

SMOKY RED-LENTIL SOUP WITH CHEDDAR TOASTS

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is golden brown, about 6 minutes. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from pot (if your bacon renders less fat, add enough olive oil to bring total to 2 tablespoons), then add onion and carrots to bacon and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until onion is softened and golden, about 5 minutes. Add lentils and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add water, stirring and scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pot, then reduce heat to moderately low and simmer, covered, until lentils are very tender, 15 to 25 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper.
• Preheat broiler. Arrange baguette slices on a baking sheet or broiler pan and spread top of each slice with butter. Broil slices 6 inches from heat until pale golden, about 1 minute. Spread buttered sides with a thin layer of mustard, then top each toast with 2 slices of cheese and broil until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 1 minute.
• Serve soup with Cheddar toasts.