Turkish Spinach And Lentil Soup Food

JESSICA'S TURKISH SPINACH AND LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse lentils and bring to a boil in 5 cups salted water or stock. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 40 minutes.
• While lentils boil, in a separate stock pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté onions and the optional bacon. When the onions just begin to soften, add garlic, cayenne, bay leaves, cumin, coriander and chili powder. Cook for a few minutes, but don't allow garlic to brown.
• Add tomatoes and crush with a spoon to your desired consistency. If lentils are ready, add them to the tomato mixture now. If not, take tomatoes off heat and wait for lentils.
• Once lentils have been added to the tomatoes, simmer for 15 minutes over medium heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. You may also want to add some more spices if you like a little more kick to it.
• Add frozen spinach and cook another five minutes. If using fresh spinach, only cook for two minutes.
• If wanted, serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream.
• The lentils do soak up a lot of liquid, so for reheating, you may need to add more stock.

TURKISH SPINACH AND LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse the lentils.
• Bring them to a boil in the beef broth.
• Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a heavy soup pot. Saute the onions until translucent. Add the garlic, cayeene, bay leaves and bulgur.
• Stir the mixture on medium heat until the onions and bulgur are lightly browned.
• Mix in the parsley and tomatoes.
• When the tomatoes begin to give up their juice, gently stir in the tomato paste. Pour the lentils and their liquid into the soup pot with the onions and bulgur.
• Simmer the soup for 15 minutes.
• Add the rosemary, salt and pepper to taste. If the lentils and bulgur have absorbed too much liquid, add more broth, water or tomato juice. Remove the bay leaves.
• Just before serving, stir in the fresh spinach and let it wilt in the hot soup.
• Garnish with more fresh parsley.
• NOTES : Serve this soup with crusty bread.
• Broil the bread on both sides, rubbed with a cut garlic clove, and drizzled with olive oil.

TURKISH SPINACH

Steps:

• Rinse and wash spinach very well to get all the silt off (I use all the spinach including the roots), it takes about 4-5 washes.
• In a large pot heat oil, add onions and saute until soft.
• Add all the ingredients in sequence and bring to a boil.
• Reduce to low heat and cook until the rice is cooked.
• Eat as is or add a couple of tbsp of Garlic-Yogurt sauce and enjoy!
• Garlic-Yogurt Sauce: 1 cup of plain yogurt 2-4 minced garlic (depending on how much garlic you prefer) salt to taste Method: Combine all the ingredients and serve over your meal.

TURKISH LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, over high heat, bring stock to boil.
• Add onions, garlic, carrots, lentils, parsley, bay leaf, cumin, thyme, salt and pepper.
• Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally for 15 - 20 minutes or until vegetables and lentils are tender.
• Discard bay leaf.
• Remove 3 cups of soup. Process (in batches) in food processor or blender until smooth.
• Return to saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Adjust seasonings.
• Squeeze lemon juice into individual servings.
• Freezes well. (244 calories per 1 1/2 cup of soup).