Lentil soup is one of my all-time favorite soups. I can’t believe I waited until the end of Ramadan to finally make a huge pot, but it’ll keep us nice and happy for the last few days of it, insha’allah. Check out the giveaway at the end for a chance to get some of the same wholesome ingredients found in this recipe.
Warm lentil soup is so perfect for Iftar
I grew up eating lentils, but probably not like most people. My Sicilian grandmother, Nonna, used to serve it to us with pasta in a dish called lenticchie. It was a delicious, but rare dish she served mostly in the fall on cool days so we could warm up nicely. The brown lentils always made the pasta a bit grainy, which I didn’t’ like so much, but the addition of freshly grated Pecorino or Romano cheese on top made up for every last bit of it.
Now, I typically make lentils in soup and have come up with a tried and true version we like at home. It took me a while to get a schedule going to prepare for it because I like to use the fresh lentils, which requires soaking them overnight, or for a couple of nights.
This recipe also has another special meaning for me because I actually had a taste-tester outside of the family that was quite unexpected. Long story short is this…
Sheikh Yusuf Estes was in Chicago more than five years ago to perform a lecture, one that I was not personally able to attend. Shortly before the event, someone told me that the Sheikh wasn’t feeling so well and needed something simple and warm to eat and would I mind making a soup for him? Of course I was delighted to cook it for him, but was a bit nervous about whether or not it would nourish him the way he needed at the time. After the Sheikh ate my soup, I was handed a piece of paper by the person who was there with him. It was the most beautiful hand-written du’a for me by Sheikh Yusuf. I have saved it as a token of the privilege of being able to cook for such a respected scholar, and it was a dish he seemed to sincerely enjoy.
So, on to the recipe I hope you’ll also make to nourish and warm all the special people around you, as well….
Start out by soaking lentils in water overnight, or for two nights if you have a large amount such as in this recipe.
You’ll also need some fresh tomatoes, an onion, a few garlic cloves, salt and pepper, plus fresh or dried herbs.
Always get the best olive oil you can afford- it really does make a difference in the end result. Use{halal} chicken broth for extra rich flavor; Saffron Road also carries a vegetable broth that is suitable for vegetarians so you can make this dish completely free of animal products.
Sauté onions in oil until they’re nice and translucent.
then add the tomatoes
and the lentils
then the stock
also referred to as simply “broth”
I start out with two cups at a time to see how much liquid I really want or need.
In this case I ended up with four cups but you could do less or more, depending on how you like your soup- some people like it on the thicker side; others less so.
This actually looks like a lot of liquid, but it’s going to cook down a bit.
for at least 45 minutes
then blend half of the pot with an immersion blender if you have one (and the stove off). Otherwise you can use a regular blender, but you’ll need the mixture to cool off before doing that.
See? It’s thicker now…and even more so after an additional 20-40 minutes of cooking.
Serve with fresh parsley or cilantro on top, a drizzle of olive oil and a few lemon quarters to squeeze on top, too. So healthy and really delicious and nutritious…
Mediterranean Lentil Soup [aka: Shaykh Yusuf’s Lentil Soup]
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
2-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, or about 3 ½ ounces, diced
3 large Roma tomatoes, or about 10 ounces, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups brown lentils (measured after they have been soaked overnight)
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoons dried mint (optional)
1 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoons basil (optional)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cups Saffron Road Chicken broth
Fresh parsley or cilantro
Lemon wedges or quarters
Directions
In a large Dutch oven over medium flame, heat the oil. Sauté the onions until translucent, then add the tomatoes then the garlic. Stir well and let them absorb the oil.
Add the lentils and all of the dried herbs and spices. Pour the broth over the top.
Continue to cook over medium-high for about 45 minutes to one hour, after which the lentils should have softened significantly. Turn the heat off then use an immersion blender to blend ½ or more of mixture. Alternatively, let the soup cool significantly then add half of it to a blender, then return it to the pot.
Continue to cook on medium-low heat for another 20-40 minutes before serving. Ladle into bowls and add a bit of fresh parsley or cilantro plus a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on top. Serve with fresh lemon or lime on the side.
About the Giveaway
Saffron Road is giving away a $50 Whole Foods gift certificate to one randomly-selected participant.
To enter, please read our Official Giveaway Guidelines page first then add a relevant comment about this recipe and its contents in order to be entered. Entering indicates you have read the guidelines. Giveaway ends at 12:01 am on August 19, 2012.