How to Make Garlic Lentil Soup
Last night I was listening to My Life in France an autobiography by Julia Child, published in 2006, It was compiled by Julia Child and Alex Prud'homme.
Child had just finished making garlic soup, garlic being high on my list of must have in the kitchen always items, and it reminded my of a recipe my maternal grandmother had given me many years ago. A garlic-lentil soup recipe which, as I remembered it was delicious and an ideal winter food. Also, it is an excellent food for anyone who has or feels as though they are getting a cold. It warms and nourishes.
So this morning after my wife left for the office and I checked my morning email, I decided it was time to make it. Naturally, the ingredients were on hand lentils being another important food to keep handy.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 4 garlic gloves very thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon taomato paste
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Cayenne pepepr to taste
- 1 quart vegetable soup stock or chciken stock
- 2 cups Water
- 1 cup Red lentsils
- 1 large carrot diced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Preparation
1- Soak lentils overnight, unless using canned
2- In a large pot, heat oil over high heat until hot and shimmering.
3- Add onion and garlic, and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes.
4- Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, black pepper, and chili powder or cayenne, and sauté for 2 minutes longer.
5- Add broth, water, lentils.
6- Bring to a simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to medium-low.
7- Simmer until lentils are soft, about one hour.
8- Add carrots
9- Taste and add salt if necessary.
10- Puree half the soup then add it back to pot.
11- Soup should be somewhat chunky. Stir in lemon juice and cilantro.
1 Serving = 1 cup
You can make extra and freeze some in an airtight container so that you will have a delicious and comforting soup handy when Life calls for it, which during cold and flu season can be all too often.
By the way if you enjoy food and cooking I suggest you get My Life In France, either the book or the audiotape, you could borrow it from your public library, it is a fun read, Child lived during some very interesting times and her passion for food and food preparation comes through.
